Thoughts On Netflix’s Original Movie To The Bone

 
Last night, I finished watching Netflix’s original movie, To the Bone, which released last Friday. I want to start off by saying this movie turned out way differently than I expected. What I mean by that is, it’s not your typical movie about a girl with an eating disorder. Speaking as someone who has never suffered from an eating disorder, what could I possibly know about the validity of the content? Not much. I can say that I continue to praise Netflix for attempting, yes I said attempting, to produce movies and TV shows that tackle serious issues.
[WARNING: The trailer may have some uncomfortable content.]

It’s no surprise that the internet had strong opinions about Netflix’s rendition of Jay Asher’s novel Thirteen Reasons Why. Some even reviewed the show by saying that it was a glorification of suicide. When To the Bone was announced, the same was said about eating disorders. Is it all true?
I stand on the side of no. It’s a bit of exposure if anything. Sure, everyone has different experiences and we are all entitled to an opinion. What could inspire someone or hurt someone is different on a case by case basis. For me, I thought about being a kid and my mother writing off any friend of mine that suffered from anxiety or depression. Since then, she has changed her perspective, but perhaps it’s things like this that make it possible. This type of content exposes people to the things they maybe don’t want to see or hear or accept. Awareness is key, yes?
So, what did the internet have to say about To the Bone? 
Here’s one opinion from Women’s Health:

While the main character in To The Bone is a young, white woman, what’s different about this film is that it does touch on other versions of eating disorders—one patient is a male, one is pregnant, and another black, lesbian patient suffers from overeating issues. However, their stories are only glazed over. “Now, I would challenge the community to put forth another piece of art that focuses on stories we haven’t seen before.

You can read the full article here.
Just try browsing the #TotheBone hashtag on Twitter to see an array of different opinions. After I finished watching the movie that’s what I did. It’s an intense movie, one that is difficult to process, and should be watched very carefully. For me, I think it’s always important to talk these things out. Perhaps Netflix is giving us a platform to create discussion. Now, what will they do next?
Christine Marie Attardo is a 28 year old writer, poet, and all around creative human. She loves all things nerdy and Gail Simone related. When she’s not writing, you can find her nose in a book or her face glued to her computer screen playing video games. Chat with her on Twitter @AWritersWay.