I'm not a movie critic, and I'm not trying to be one either. I just wanted to write about a movie that touched my heart. Of course, this will touch on sensitive topics, so reader discretion is advised.
To The Bone is a story about a girl called Ellen (later Eli) who struggles with anorexia. She's played by Lily Collins, who I think was an amazing choice for the part. Ellen has been through inpatient programs and finally joins a group home where she meets other people struggling with anorexia as well as others with bulimia or binge eating disorder.
More than the plot line itself, what touched me were the real moments that showed that the people involved in the film knew exactly what they were doing when creating it. Whether it be little things like the comments on an actress' weight or Ellen's "arm thing" (you'll get it if you see the movie), each thing was a piece of reality. So many parts of the movie reflected the reality of living with anorexia and the struggle to get better.
Some have commented that the film did a poor job portraying eating disorders. However, the author discusses the idea of models in magazines being cited as the cause of eating disorders to be an incorrect assumption; I agree with this—though I don't quite understand why she mentioned this considering that was not treated as a major cause of Ellen's disorder. If anything, she calls out another girl who talks about this.
Not to mention this part from the article:
I do not want to invalidate her feelings or her experiences, but her analysis seems to indicate that the film was trying to hone in on the "truth" of anorexia, not just one. Of course it does not apply to everybody; that would be foolish. Both Collins and writer/director Marti Noxon are survivors; it would be reasonable to assert that this film was a truth for them, especially Noxon.
Admittedly, there are a lot of people who have criticized the film; I've noted survivors have found issue with the film, but as one myself, I couldn't find a reason to find it problematic. Eating disorders were not glamorized—simply portrayed as they are. The so-called "unnecessary" shots of Lily Collins' body showed how anorexia can destroy someone physically, and her character showed how it could destroy someone psychologically.
Others have made other negative claims regarding the film, and while all opinions are exactly that at the end of the day—opinions—I still can't help but feel many people are missing the point of the film. For some who aren't ready to see the film, it will be triggering. I can assure that. However, for those who feel they are ready, it's something that keeps one from relapsing and opens up those repressed memories to allow for healing. Or maybe that's just me.
The thing is, if every single thing that touches on eating disorders, mental disorders, and other difficult topics is immediately labeled problematic, when is the conversation supposed to start? People can write any number of academic books, but the general public is not going to consume that. So many people are ignorant about eating disorders: "Why can't you just eat?"; "Do you think being thin is beautiful?"; and so on. This film shines a light on a truth about anorexia. It was very close to my truth as well. I'm not about to say Holmes' experiences aren't valid, but I couldn't care less about my role as a woman. That was the last thing on my mind. Maybe I'm a rare case or maybe I just happened to have a similar truth to Noxon.
Watch the film—if you're ready. Some people will misuse it, some people will be triggered, but some may heal, and some may even be saved.
To The Bone is a story about a girl called Ellen (later Eli) who struggles with anorexia. She's played by Lily Collins, who I think was an amazing choice for the part. Ellen has been through inpatient programs and finally joins a group home where she meets other people struggling with anorexia as well as others with bulimia or binge eating disorder.
More than the plot line itself, what touched me were the real moments that showed that the people involved in the film knew exactly what they were doing when creating it. Whether it be little things like the comments on an actress' weight or Ellen's "arm thing" (you'll get it if you see the movie), each thing was a piece of reality. So many parts of the movie reflected the reality of living with anorexia and the struggle to get better.
Some have commented that the film did a poor job portraying eating disorders. However, the author discusses the idea of models in magazines being cited as the cause of eating disorders to be an incorrect assumption; I agree with this—though I don't quite understand why she mentioned this considering that was not treated as a major cause of Ellen's disorder. If anything, she calls out another girl who talks about this.
Not to mention this part from the article:
The title To the Bone suggests something about getting to the “truth” of anorexia. Such a possibility is inevitably flawed, as there are many different ways “anorexia” can be viewed, and many different experiences of having anorexia. (Holmes)The author then continues to say that for her, the movie provided "little sense of truth"—but she herself says there are different experiences. Does that then mean that if one relates to this film and feels that Ellen's experiences were similar to their own, they did not experience "true anorexia"? To me it seems that the author, though well intentioned, has done some gatekeeping herself, in a way. This, as you may or may not know, is a huge issue in the world of eating disorders because one "has to be thin enough" or "sick enough".
I do not want to invalidate her feelings or her experiences, but her analysis seems to indicate that the film was trying to hone in on the "truth" of anorexia, not just one. Of course it does not apply to everybody; that would be foolish. Both Collins and writer/director Marti Noxon are survivors; it would be reasonable to assert that this film was a truth for them, especially Noxon.
Admittedly, there are a lot of people who have criticized the film; I've noted survivors have found issue with the film, but as one myself, I couldn't find a reason to find it problematic. Eating disorders were not glamorized—simply portrayed as they are. The so-called "unnecessary" shots of Lily Collins' body showed how anorexia can destroy someone physically, and her character showed how it could destroy someone psychologically.
Others have made other negative claims regarding the film, and while all opinions are exactly that at the end of the day—opinions—I still can't help but feel many people are missing the point of the film. For some who aren't ready to see the film, it will be triggering. I can assure that. However, for those who feel they are ready, it's something that keeps one from relapsing and opens up those repressed memories to allow for healing. Or maybe that's just me.
The thing is, if every single thing that touches on eating disorders, mental disorders, and other difficult topics is immediately labeled problematic, when is the conversation supposed to start? People can write any number of academic books, but the general public is not going to consume that. So many people are ignorant about eating disorders: "Why can't you just eat?"; "Do you think being thin is beautiful?"; and so on. This film shines a light on a truth about anorexia. It was very close to my truth as well. I'm not about to say Holmes' experiences aren't valid, but I couldn't care less about my role as a woman. That was the last thing on my mind. Maybe I'm a rare case or maybe I just happened to have a similar truth to Noxon.
Watch the film—if you're ready. Some people will misuse it, some people will be triggered, but some may heal, and some may even be saved.
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