"To The Bone" (2017)

Rating:  R

Genre: Drama

Directed By: Marti Noxon

Written By: Marti Noxon

In Theatres: July 14th, 2017

Runtime: 107 minutes

Studio: Netflix

Summary:

Ellen is an unruly 20-year-old anorexic girl who spent the better part of her teenage years being shepherded through various recovery programs, only to find herself several pounds lighter every time. Determined to find a solution, her dysfunctional family agrees to send her to a group home for youths, which is led by a non-traditional doctor. Surprised by the unusual rules, Ellen must discover for herself how to confront her addiction and attempt self-acceptance.

Review:

I came across this film while browsing through Netflix fairly recently and decided to press play fairly randomly. I don’t know if “enjoy” is the right word to use for this movie given the subject matter is quite tough. But I got into it and I liked it.

All the performances were great. Lily Collins is a talented actress and very likable. There is a very likable bunch of characters to lead you through the narrative. Their journey is not an easy one. It’s full of many hard trials and tough moments, both for them and for the audience to watch. But there’s still a positive vibe throughout which helps keep it moving.

The film is nicely shot as well. I remember there was one scene where the characters were out of the in-patient house for a few hours and it was raining. While I found the whole sequence a little jarring in relation to the narrative, I do remember thinking how much I liked the way it looked on screen. The rain pouring in the background with just the silhouettes of the characters visible in the foreground.

I was impressed by the manner it deals with the subject of anorexia. It took it for what it was, it didn’t glamorise, nor criticise it. There was a balance and neutral ground in its approach. Real people who suffer from anorexia gave their input and experiences when writing the script, so it’s based on these which is great, I think. I have never come across another film yet that deals with anorexia, or at least quite in the same way. I’m glad this was the first one I watched. The only other media I have watched that does, is through Cassie’s character (played by Hannah Murray) on the British TV teen drama “Skins”. While I don’t have much experience in this area I do have a friend who deals with it and I think it’s a step in the right direction that this film was made to help people better understand what people, including my friend, deals with daily. It’s not a nice thing but it’s not something to be looked down upon either just like any mental health issue out there today.

Yes, in conclusion I recommend this film. I thought it was very good. Thumbs up. Good job once again, Netflix.

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