MovieChat Forums > To the Bone (2017) Discussion > Well done film about anorexia

Well done film about anorexia

posted 4 years ago by Adam60z (3781)
3 replies | jump to latest

Well done and stars Phil Collins' daughter Lily as an artist from a disfunctional family (but whose isn't) who goes to a group home that helps her. I never understood the whole eating disorder thing, but obviously it's very prevalent. This film has a high quality script and good actors including...please don't judge....Keanu Reeves as the doctor. Hey, he's come a long from from Bill and Ted (the new one notwithstanding).
The only qualm I had with this is that they had Lily lose weight for the film. I don't like that they make actors lose OR gain weight or anything else that could affect their health. I just don't think it's right.

[–] Otter (24464) 4 years ago

It's now possible to use CGI to make actors appear emaciated, I can think of two films off the top of my head where I've seen it done. So yes, I agree that it's not right for them to be asking actors who are already being pressured to be underweight lose more weight for a role.

But I suspect a small film about anorexia didn't have the budget for enough CGI, they just had to find an actor who was willing.

[–] Adam60z (3781) 4 years ago

True. They did have a nutritionist on hand to make sure she was healthy, but still. I was thinking CGI too. I think it was worse in the old days though. Like for Born on the 4th of July Oliver Stone (the bastard!) wanted to give Tom Cruise a drug that would temporarily paralyze him to help with his role. Luckily he was overruled. And we all know what happened with the Twilight Zone movie and all the other accidents that happened on set (like Brandon Lee, etc.). I mean there is no reason for that stuff to happen now with CGI, etc. It should never have happened then either.
Anyway, I'd recommend this film. I remember the one with Jennifer Jason Leigh. She did a 1981 TV movie about anorexia and went down to 87 lbs! Ironically it was her father Vic Morrow who died in the Twilight Zone "accident" (Jon Landis definitely should have gone to prison for that one!)

[–] Otter (24464) 4 years ago

I saw that movie when it came out! I was a fat kid then, or "fat" by the standards of the time.

There was some big actor who lost a ton of weight for a fairly early role, I forget who, and he later said that it caused health problems. But that's the thing about being an actor, it's such a fiercely competitive field that a lot of actors are willing to do unwise or unhealthy things if they think it will benefit their careers, either get them press or get them taken seriously by casting agents, or just get the attention of the public. That just shouldn't be a way that a major industry treats employees, letting them risk their health, or rewarding them for doing so. Not while there's an alternative that costs money, but which can't hurt anyone.