‘To the Bone’

Lily Collins all but disappears in ‘To the Bone’ (2017). Netflix’s latest conversation starter which sees the actress drop a startling amount of weight to portray a young artist battling anorexia.

Premiering smack in the wake of the streaming company’s controversial ’13 Reasons Why’, ‘To the Bone’ earns its particular ire for its candid depiction of Collin’s (an anorexia survivor) emaciated form.

Lambasted as fodder for pro-anorexia communities in its glamorisation of a disorder which is largely framed as occurring in white, middle class homes where the cushy inpatient treatment prescribed by Dr William Beckham (Keanu Reeves) is even an option let alone a lower income home’s wildest dream, ‘To the Bone’ is a middling attempt to advocate for recovery.

Written and directed by Marti Noxon and loosely based on the director’s own experiences, ‘To the Bone’ means well but teaches fair little in its story of a wisecracking young woman who has been in and out of hospitals and may even have inspired another young woman to death.

Criticised for portraying anorexia ‘secrets’ and damaging behaviours which may be triggering or even inspiring to those battling with the disorder or weight management in general, ‘To the Bone’ struggles to walk the fine line between helpful and harmful.

Delving all too shallowly into some of the reasons why individuals may have turned to such extreme calorie counting or even its earliest warning signs which can be difficult to distinguish from normal dieting behaviours, ‘To the Bone’ is all aftermath and very little analysis of possible cause, symptoms and seemingly benign beginnings. Though it touches on the impact of social media and society’s ridiculous beauty standards, much of the film revolves around the protoganist who must rustle up some enthusiasm about life to save her own one.

Also starring Carrie Preston, Alex Sharp, Lili Taylor and Brooke Smith, ‘To the Bone’ is an average film buoyed by solid performances offering the redeeming factors in a film that doesn’t seem sure of what it wants to achieve. With Collins presented as loveable, dark but charming and mostly obstinate in the face of full plates of food, the lasting image is one of a cool, anorexic girl with everybody’s attention who gets the boy, the internet fame and maybe even recovery. Though that last bit is left as ellipsis.

Problematic? See for yourself.

Parental guidance is advised.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.

The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.