To the Bone is a 2017 movie drama that premiered at the “Sundance Film Festival.” Directed by Marti Noxon and starring Lily Collins, Keanu Reeves, Alex Sharp, Liana Liberato, and Carrie Preston, the movie depicts an addiction and its consequences.
Welcome to the daily life of Ellen (played by Collins), where every meal is a struggle. After all, she suffers from anorexia. Throughout her teenage years, she has battled with the disease with no success. But she has got it under control.
“280 for the pork,
-Ellen, To the Bone (2017)
350 for the buttered noodles,
125 for the buttered beans,
150 for the roll, and 75 for the butter.”
However, her stepmother Susan (Preston) and stepsister Kelly (Liberato) do not think alike. Thus, they recruit the help of a well-known specialist, Dr. Beckham (Reeves). Unwillingly, she has no option but to check into his treatment center.
At the center, she meets other in-patients battling eating disorders. Nevertheless, this is not the Holiday Inn. For instance, they must obey the following rules:
- Sit through the meals together.
- Bathrooms are locked subsequently.
- Counting calories is a taboo.
- Comply with the above-mentioned rules and get rewarded with cashable perks (yay!).
Luckily, she bonds with the in-patients, especially with Luke (Sharp). An aspiring ballet dancer who is on his final steps of recovery. Just as Ellen thinks she is on the same path as him, the problem is still visible once she has to step up to the scale.
Instead of gaining weight, she is losing, to the point of becoming skin and bones. Importantly, Dr. Beckham holds patient-family reunions to find the root of what might have triggered the cause and effect.
Ultimately, Ellen opens her eyes and realizes that she is not only damaging her body but also hurting those around her. But is it too late?
Admittedly, Lily Collins, who battled an eating disorder for years, was willing to portray the character in the best possible way to raise awareness. The film is also special for the director, an ex-patient herself.
Clearly, “To the Bone“ is the consequence of a perfect image. From an early age, magazines bombard teenagers (girls and boys) with high standards of fake beauty and a blurry definition of how a body should look like. Unfortunately, as technology keeps evolving, it has only gotten worse.
Therefore, next time you are scrolling up and down your phone and come across an impeccable image, please don’t fall for it. Most likely, it has suffered alterations, which are not visible to the human eyes but hurtful to the mind. But guess what? You have the power to shut it down.
To conclude 2021 on a high note, Collins has grown as an actress. From small roles to leading acts and now a producer on her show “Emily In Paris.” A superb fashion getaway.
So much more to come in “Music, Movies, and Me.” See you in 2022, everyone!
Check out the trailer of “To the Bone” movie in the link below.
