Hunger Point

This movie was based on Jillian Medoff's 1997 520-page novel by the same name. The book told a beautiful, realistic story. Making it into a movie, especially a TV movie (not that they would ever release a film about eating disorders in theaters), was not a good idea. So much of the story was cut out. If I had only seen the movie and not read the book, I would have hated it. But it some ways it was nice seeing a favorite book of mine brought to life. I would have to say that was the only reason I liked this movie at all. Well, the acting was pretty good, I'll give you that. One thing I didn't like was the writers' attempt to address an issue relating to eating disorders that was not an issue at the time the book was written, and therefore was obviously not part of the book. That was the issue of pro-anorexia websites, the whole "anorexic and proud" mentality. Whether or not this is an important issue is another matter, but it was not part of the book and therefore should not have been included in the movie. The cut so much of the story out, just to add in something that wasn't originally there. I'd say this is worth checking out if you've read and liked the book, otherwise, skip it.

I can't believe this film was made in 2003, and the world of eating disorders is still trudging along. So much of what this movie showed is still accurate, speaking as someone who understands this illness a bit too well.

This movie is strongest in its depiction of relationships and misconceptions within the family regarding blame, causation, and genetic factors. They don't really touch on this, but as much as environmental factors are at play, so are the genetic ones. Mom is absolutely stricken with a pervasive eating disorder, except she is functional; Shelley moves from functional to mental incapacitation (see: scene of hyperventilation in ED unit bed). While they both have the same problem, essentially, the mom has been able to repress the worst of it, unlike Shelley.

Franny is the older sister and has demonstrated sensibility from an early age, but even she is not immune to the pitfalls of the disorder. Nothing explains her own need to engage in behaviors, other than her genetic predisposition, although it's true her environment played a part.

What I loved: this movie does a great job of portraying the impact to the family dynamic, as well as how life can change drastically. Shelley was on her way to huge things, but the ED completely derailed her plans, to the ultimate point of no coming back.

What I disliked: The movie portrays a pretty weak therapist/MD team. This probably is realistic to a large degree, because so many of my own comrades with an ED have had massive complaints about their disconnection with their medical/therapy team. However, it would have been awesome to see how someone in that role could make a positive impact, and how they truly do great work. No one except the patient can truly make the choice to embrace recovery, but there are amazing, patient and vigilantly aware therapists who have studied the trends and understand the pitfalls of early release, for example. (Shelly was not ready - by a million miles - to be released from treatment.)

Extra points of authenticity for nailing how the ED unit of patients can be. Supportive, strong, childish, embittered, numb....those are all the things that ring common and true in an ED unit of young women.

Solid movie worth a watch, even now.

If you're like me, you love cheesy Lifetime movies. Well, then this is for you. Hunger Point is the story of a girl who checks herself into rehab for anorexia and how she came to be that way. As a child, her mother would encourage her two daughters to be as thin as possible. The story focuses more on the girl's older sister, who is between jobs and living with her parents during a very stressful time. It definitely follows the old Lifetime plot, but it works if you aren't expecting much. Despite the serious subject matter, I found it pretty campy, but entertaining enough. A plus (or minus for some) is the horrible hairdo Barb Hershey sports all through the movie. If you're ever bored and it's rerunning, I'd watch it just for the cheese factor.

This movie is absolute craziness! You heard, as I said, it's a film about eating disorders, and being anorexic yes, but is there a life lesson? Moral value? No. First of all, the mother in this movie insists her daughters be stick thin which is not a real body type at all (my mother's parents are the same way), and puts pressure on her daughters for how they look. With that, Shelly is driven to anorexia, and in a mental hospital and drives herself completely insane, and gets all these websites, and kills herself and is alarmingly thin. It shows no life lesson or moral value, because nobody talks to her about her anorexia. I, for one was anorexic at a young age, but I'm well now because I had the help I needed.

So, I really wouldn't recommend this movie. It can screw you up if you believe the crap that goes on in it. What this world needs to learn is positive thinking, and that magazines and junk like that aren't real. It's all airbrushing and camera angles. Not the real thing.

this movie does address some key issues. If one compares it to other movies of this type, it is certainly much better, than say, the Lifetime movie with Lynda Carter, same subject, (forgot the name of the movie, though!!) Christina Hendricks and Susan May Pratt are the daughters of a neurotic mother who has also made her rounds through therapy, Valium addiction, etc. (The movie may have explored her pathology more, to better explain the daughters problems). Both actresses are excellent, and Barbara Hershey fits the bill, as the mother who is overbearing and vain.

Susan May Pratt is the anorexic, I will not delve into the outcome, but she is quite good in the role. We see the denial and control issues of her mother, and the selfishness of her sister (Christina Hendricks); who flirts with an intern at her sister's hospital. We also see how later she has deluded herself, and how the doctor cannot even remember the patient's name; I thought this was quite realistic, and have experienced a similar situation; the anorexic patient and family puts their trust in a physician, only to be let down.

We see the general despair, denial and blame that families have in a situation like this, especially when any psychiatric problems are addressed; the family reacts differently; Barbara Hershey throws herself into work, the father goes into denial, and the sister experiences depression.

All in all, a good movie that at least explores emotional issues, instead of the tired idea that ..."girls want to be models"...it is so much deeper than that; self-esteem, career, women's roles and societal pressures are all part of this, and it doesn't seem society has gotten any smarter in the last 20 years, since anorexia was first addressed by the media, and medical organizations as an epidemic.

The book is certainly excellent, and Jillian Medoff, the author, also has a website, I hope she will continue to write about women's issues, as she is so empathic and astute.

Finally, if you cannot talk to your daughter about these issues, have her watch; she will certainly relate to the daughters in the movie, and Frannie (Christina Hendricks) is a real character who develops into a mature healthy young adult, at the end of this film.