To the Bone

I have struggled with an eating disorder since I was 15 years old. In my early twenties I didn't deal with it appropriately only to end up working for a group of wellness clinics... the biggest one for eating disorders. From here onward you can guess I had a massive anorexic/bulimic relapse (in my late 20's), and I went through my companies own in patient unit and several others... In my early 30's I finally made the leap, quit my triggering job and took a year off to heal. I did CBT (group therapy), shrink, psycho therapy, dietitian/nutritionist, etc etc. I am now I'm my mid 30's and I am FINALLY OK with myself, kinder to myself and able to accept myself as I am and enjoy food again. Why did I write this entire cathartic blurb? Because this movie is INCREDIBLY accurate and well made! Now only does it pretty much mirror my own relationship with myself and others, I really identified with the defiant and guarded girl Lily Collins portrayed! I literally broke down in tears at the mother/daughter breastfeeding scene... it made me think of my own issues with my mother and her inability to both breastfeed and connect with me. At my stage of healing I did not find it triggering, but that's not to say that those who are actively struggling with their own wellness might not benefit from watching it. All I can say is that the acting was spot on, as was the the secrecy,tortured, shameful and painful nature of eating disorders... during mine I did it all; starvation, binging, purging, cutting, overdosing, laxatives, diuretics, hiding food/puke/stool, you name it! But not anymore because, just like in this movie, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I am male, fat and old, yet I understood this movie. Not wanting to eat never made sense to me. Seems like the simplest problem to solve, I mean I eat pretty much non-stop and the idea of not wanting to eat is not easy to relate to for me. But I empathized with these characters. They weren't caricatures, and they weren't dumbed down. There was no pat ending, but that reflects the reality of anorexia in real-life.

I was especially entranced with Lily Collins and Alex Sharp. Both seemed like wise old adults in many ways until they would show images of their gaunt bodies and they are nothing but children.

I know a movie like this can only give a glimpse it this problem, but seeing humans I could relate to go through these problems made it more real than reading an article or a book.

I highly recommend this movie.

Do NOT watch this if you have suffered from an eating disorder. It is vert difficult to handle even if the disorder has long been recovered from. The movie weirdly enough made me want to stop eating again. I had to stop watching it halfway through. I do NOT recommend! However, for people who have not suffered from eating disorders, please do watch! It helps people gain a better understanding, which is why I gave it a 6/10.

This was the perfect opportunity to clear up so many myths about eating disorders, especially anorexia. But we saw Hollywood's version of recovery and their version of Anorexia Nervosa an often fatal mental illness.

They should have addressed so many real issues but they padded it out with fluff.

I can imagine everyone that has had anorexia or knew or knows someone with it or comparable diagnosis will have a hard time watching this movie, but also will say it is true to it's theme.

This movie is hard-hitting, indeed, to the bone. I could not take my eyes off this movie, even though it is very hard to look at 'cause the look of Lily Collins and her co stars in the Strashhold are close to unbearable. But that is how it is so a story like this needed to be told. (Just like with 13 Reasons Why)

Everyone's performance is amazing and true to the characters. This needs to be seen, there are scenes that will make you bawl and probably help you being grounded more. It is also funny when it wants to be, which is not that often.

Loves this, waited for it for a year and it was worth it.