100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 91: To the Bone

Director: Marti Noxon
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Lily Collins, Keanu Reeves, Lili Taylor, Brooke Smith, Leslie Bibb, Alex Sharp

Description: A young woman (Lily Collins) is dealing with anorexia. She meets an unconventional doctor who challenges her to face her condition and embrace life.

Review: “To the Bone” is about a young woman struggling with an eating disorder: anorexia. Off course many discussions started when Netflix added this original to its collection. Is the film accurate enough about the illness?
“To the Bone” is a powerful and beautiful film, but off course shows only a small aspect of the illness. Because we’re only following the life of Ellen and a hand full of other patients. It’s a very complex illness, so it’s hard to work it into a movie that is less than two hours long. But director Marti Noxon did manage to create a realistic image. What anorexia can do to a person and to the people that surround him or her.
The treatment in the film is a bit unconventional, but that makes the film lighter even though it’s a very heavy theme. I think that the viewers aren’t waiting for an overly dramatic tear jerker when it comes to this theme. I like the tone of the film a lot. Lilly Collins delivers a very strong performance and I love Keanu Reeves in his role as the doctor. I know Reeves has been criticized a lot for his acting. I’m one that has always defended him and in “To the Bone” he gives away a heartfelt, honest and good performance.
“To the Bone” is a really good film, with an interesting theme and strong performances.

Rating: 4/ 5