Can a film about anorexia spark meaningful conversation without risking harmful glamorisation of the disorder?
In short: Marti Noxon’s directorial debut, To the Bone, follows a young woman’s struggle with anorexia. While the film aims to shed light on a secretive disease, its release triggered intense debate. Critics and charities warned of potential risks, questioning whether the portrayal inadvertently encourages the very behaviours it seeks to depict.
Released on Netflix in July 2017, To the Bone stars Lily Collins as Ellen, a 20-year-old college dropout battling anorexia. The narrative, based on director Marti Noxon’s personal experiences, follows Ellen as she enters an in-patient program led by Dr. William Beckham. The film attempts to provide an empathetic, insightful look at the disorder, with critics like Justin Chang praising Collins for a subtle, vulnerable performance that avoids making the protagonist merely a source of negativity.
However, the film’s reception was marked by significant controversy. Shortly after its release, some media outlets and eating disorder charities, such as the UK-based Beat, expressed concern that the film could be triggering for vulnerable viewers. Critics noted that imagery from the film was quickly repurposed by pro-anorexia online communities. Hadley Freeman, writing for The Guardian, went as far as to label the work shallow and sexist, reflecting a broader tension between the film's intent to start a conversation and the potential for its aesthetic choices to be misinterpreted.
Noxon has defended the project, stating that her goal was never to glamorise the condition but to bring it out of the shadows. She argued that casting light on the darkness of the disease is a necessary step toward understanding and seeking help. Despite the backlash, the film maintains a 70% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many reviewers acknowledging its role as both a character study and a public service announcement. The debate surrounding To the Bone highlights the profound difficulty of depicting mental health struggles on screen without inadvertently providing a blueprint for those already at risk.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: To the Bone (film)
- Also: Wikidata — To the Bone · CC0
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/entertainment-to-the-bone-film.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Films · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics
