To the Bone

To the Bone follows Ellen, a 20 year old who is anorexic. She has been moving from one treatment facility to another, with her family hoping that she will get better. When she gets kicked out of a facility, her stepmother transfers her to Dr. Beckham's facility, as the doctor heading the program has a great reputation and success rate.

Succeeding in a battle like anorexia is not easy, and the movie makes it clear. It has to be something that you consciously want to overcome. It’s not just about overcoming an eating disorder, but to constantly want to become better. There is no easy path, and it is going to be a struggle. The movie also shows that there are people that will support you and people, who you can lean on, especially in hard times. 

Lily Collins gives a good performance as Ellen. Beyond her eating disorder, she was able to express the other thoughts Ellen had about herself and her guilt, her battle with her inner demons. I think it is commendable that Collins has chosen to take on the role. She is quite familiar with the character, as she has talked about her own struggle with her eating disorder.

The movie was solid during its first half. It established what the movie was about, and laid the groundwork to the direction it was headed. There was great camaraderie among the patients in the house. Ellen's interactions with Dr. Beckham, however limited, are great additions to the movie. However, there were parts of it that irked me. It was mostly about Ellen’s love interest. I found him to be selfish, and if the tables were turned (he was the main focus instead of Ellen), Ellen would have played an instrument in his development, and I didn’t like that. The exposition ran a bit too long into the movie, that when it was starting to wrap things up, it was a bit rushed; the second half wasn't balanced. Still, it was a good movie overall.