I recently watched the movie "To the Bone" on Netflix, which gives an intense look into people living with eating disorders. After much criticism when the movie was released in 2017, I think this movie still needed to be made to show others what it can be like, maybe not exactly, to have an eating disorder.
Lily Collins plays Ellen "Eli," who has anorexia and does not seem to be making any progress in any type of therapy she attends. Her last attempt at therapy kicked her out due to her attitude, and she ends up living with her stepmother (Carrie Preston) and her father, who is never shown in the movie.
She is forced to attend one more therapy, which involves living in a group home with other people, mostly around Ellen's age (20). Ellen is reluctant to eat, hitting her most dangerous weight when entering this facility. What viewers see in this film is an in-depth look into these people's lives, from counting every calorie and thinking about it every second, to having to be 'tubed up' and fed that way.
Through Ellen's time at the group home, she attends therapy with Dr. William Beckham (Keanu Reeves). He has an unconventional way of therapy, often being brutally honest with Ellen, and even convincing her to change her name to fit her better. She takes to the therapy, but still struggles to give into eating.
She meets other patients like Luke, who seems to be well over his eating disorder and even visits restaurants almost every week. He sticks around to help others. Ellen also meets Megan (Leslie Bibb), who discovers she is pregnant, Anna (Kathryn Prescott), who is supposedly doing better with her bulimia, Pearl (Maya Eshet), who also has anorexia and loves fantasy things, and Lobo (Retta) who is the nurse that doesn't mess around with the patients.
Throughout the movie, each patient's weaknesses are revealed, and Ellen grows closer to them. However, she does end up leaving the facility before she finishes. But I will leave that information out, in case anyone reading this wants to watch the movie.
Ellen has to learn how her disorder is not only affecting her but her family. I think this movie really was important in the sense that it does show what it can do to a family, especially Ellen's step-sister Kelly (Liana Liberato). She reveals in family therapy that she often looks back on certain memories and associates it with bad times that involve Ellen, like if she fainted or was hospitalized. She truly loves her sister and hates seeing her waste away to the point of almost dying.
Although this movie is also graphic in detail as far as how the patients and Ellen handle their disorders, it does give an inside look into it. It can be important to see this because these disorders shouldn't be taken lightly, or seem relatable or cool, like a girl on Tumblr viewed Ellen's artwork on the site, and ended up killing herself because of it.
If you or anyone you know needs help and is struggling with an eating disorder, do not be afraid to get help. This movie, although the ending was rather vague, shows that there is light at the end of the tunnel, it is just a matter of getting the help you need to reach it.
