To the Bone

There are a lot of good writers flocking towards streaming companies like Netflix and Amazon Prime, and the real hidden gems found on these platforms are something to consider. One of these movies was To the Bone, and it did not hold back on its punches. I highly recommend this movie, especially because it’s just sitting there on Netflix waiting for you to watch it, but man is it intense and brutally honest. Its goal was to shed light on people that are struggling with eating disorders by telling a narrative about a household of seven people suffering in their own unique ways. It succeeded, by the end I was emotionally connected to the characters and I loved how powerful the storytelling was; this movie could have been a “the world is awful, everyone hates me” movie, but it goes out of its way to show how every single person tries their best to help the characters in need.

Lily Collins played Ellen, the main character, and she was breathtaking in her role. All the actors were great, but she out performed them all, and I think the script really helped her understand what the character was hiding underneath each line. Another performance that I thought was genius was Keanu Reeves as the Doctor that helped all the patients in the house; he was the reason I watched this movie and I am glad that I saw him in the trailer. The other characters are very well done, two out of the seven patients are left too much in the background for me, but each one had their own personality and look on the events that happened throughout the movie. A lot happened in this movie; there were grim realities and sudden moments that lingered to make sure both Ellen and the audience understood them. These moments are not shoehorned in to make the story faster, they affect the characters to their core and it sways their judgments for the rest of their story. Near the end even the directing seemed to change; the worse Ellen’s condition became the more the lighting, angles, and cinematography were exaggerated. It was an interesting move that the director made and I thought it added to the urgency as well as giving the story an artful feel that shined hope into its unraveling world.

I have to say this again; this movie is not for the faint of heart. If you want to see it but are a little nervous, watch the trailer. It does not delve into the worst parts of the movie, but it shows that the light at the end of the tunnel is worth the journey. The story is strong and emotional as well as the characters, and the ending surprised me with a very realistic note. I hope you see this movie, but if you want to see something less intense, Netflix has a bunch of other gems like Train to Busan (foreign zombie movie), An American Werewolf in London, The Shining, Lion (Oscar Nominated), Band of Robbers, No Country for Old Men (Won 4 Oscars), and Shimmer Lake.

Story Rating: 10/10

Character Rating: 9/10