Content warning for discussion and depiction of eating disorders.
This Tuesday, Netflix released the trailer for its upcoming movie To the Bone, which stars Lily Collins as anorexic twenty-year-old Ellen. Since its release, the trailer has created a stir online as people debate whether it is triggering for impressionable audiences, or a much-needed depiction of what it is like to live with an eating disorder. Some have been drawing comparisons to Netflix’s Thirteen Reasons Why, which also drew criticism for its depiction of mental illness. Overall, though, the trailer has been criticized and praised in equal measure.
Those who are concerned about the film believe it to be triggering to anyone who struggles with an eating disorder. Others also believe that it romanticizes and delegitimizes the experience. At one point in the trailer, Ellen’s sister (portrayed by Liana Liberato) cracks, “It’s like you have calorie Asperger’s.” Collins herself has drawn some criticism for how much weight she had to lose for the film. People worry that images from the movie could be used as “thinspo” by those with eating disorders.
Others, however, believe that this film will be a realistic and needed portrayal of anorexia. The writer and director, Marti Noxon, suffered from anorexia as a teen, and drew on her experience. Additionally, Collins has talked publicly about her own struggle with anorexia. She stated that she was originally scared to be a part of the film because of fear of relapsing, but found the experience “incredibly rewarding.”
Because these two women have experienced what it is like to live with anorexia and drew on their experience for this project, many hope that To the Bone will do the topic justice. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival back in January and drew generally positive reviews.
To the Bone will be released on Netflix on July 14th. You can watch the trailer here.
