With many already on the offensive after the backlash received by Netflix following '13 Reasons Why,' it is not shocking that the company’s next project regarding young people coping with mental illness — 'To The Bone' — has also been met with heavy scrutiny. The road leading up to the film’s July 14th release date has been paved with much criticism; the most common complaints being that viewers are claiming the film glorifies eating disorders, especially by casting a thin female lead. However, this film has something that '13 Reasons Why' does not: both a director and lead that have recovered from their own personal battles with eating disorders and are utilizing their own experiences to intentionally start mindful conversations about the realities of these illnesses. Though I am nowhere near being an expert on topics such as these, I have walked alongside a loved one on their path to recovery and personal experience makes the potential power of this film abundantly clear to me.
After recently watching a loved one struggle with an eating disorder, reading about the impending release of this film instantly grabbed my attention, and the first time I viewed the trailer brought me to tears. There was a sense of authenticity within the scenes shown, as well as a sharp realism within the dialogue that hit close to home. Seeing Lily Collins as Ellen, so thin and emaciated, immediately made my heart hurt for a character that I had yet to even know. Two minutes and twenty-four seconds later I sat in silence staring at the screen of my laptop, trying to process what I had seen. It was raw and it was real and drove me to seek out more information. This pursuit brought me to many responses both positive and negative, and also downright sad. Seeing comments from girls joking about how the main character was "thin-spo" was horrifying to me and shows how twisted our culture is in regards to body image. There is no sense of glorification of her body in this film. Seeing a gaunt face and bruised ribs should cause people to stop and think rather than joke about desiring to look that way. However as I continued to read I was struck again, but now when hearing the perspectives of those involved. They showed that there was an immense amount of responsibility, passion, and emotion poured into the creation of this story.
Following the initial wave of criticism after the release of the trailer, the film’s director, Marti Noxon, issued a statement addressing the concerns of viewers:
"Having struggled with anorexia and bulimia well into my 20s, I know firsthand the struggle, isolation and shame a person feels when they are in the grips of this illness. In an effort to tell this story as responsibly as we could, we spoke with other survivors and worked with Project Heal throughout production in the hopes of being truthful in a way that wasn't exploitive. That said, it's important to remember that each person's battle with EDs is unique and To The Bone is just one of the millions of ED stories that could be told in the US at this very moment. My goal with the film was not to glamorize EDs, but to serve as a conversation starter about an issue that is too often clouded by secrecy and misconceptions. I hope that by casting a little light into the darkness of this disease we can achieve greater understanding and guide people to help if they need it.”
Not a blanket statement from a production company or distributor, but a heartfelt statement from the director herself that was simple, eloquent, and relatable. Too often those affected by ED’s are misunderstood and stigmatized, prompting people to ask, “why can’t they just eat?”, and other ambiguous questions. The trailer and the director both send the message that recovery is nowhere near that simple- treatment and support systems are both necessities that cannot be bypassed on that journey. This is a powerful teaching moment for our society. It is imperative that we not only educate ourselves, but also make a conscious effort to be compassionate and understanding when approaching mental illness. We have to support rather than ignore the recoverers and survivors. We also have to be aware of the warning signs of these illnesses so that we may intervene and encourage loved ones to seek help and recovery from symptoms that might have otherwise gone unnoticed.
Overall, the intention of this film is not to scare or trigger (although that may be the reaction from some), but rather to display the struggles of these illnesses that are not often discussed or are seen as taboo. There is also no way to generalize the experiences of everyone who is affected by these illnesses and no necessarily “good” way to bring about a conversation about this issue. Yes, some representations may be better than others, but no experience is identical to another, and therefore, no portrayal will ever be perfect. A full film cannot be solely judged on just the two minutes of content that has been released. Furthermore, if this small clip prompts this much discussion, there is no telling what the release of the film will do to educate and make aware those who view it. The most important message to be taken is that there is hope for recovery, and that it does not have to be done in isolation — Collins and Noxon are proof of that. They are using their voices for powerful change and I believe that we should take the time to watch and listen before conclusions are drawn.
