'To the Bone': What Is the Danger With Netflix's Eating Disorder Film?

By Rachel Cruz, Christian Post Contributor

Netflix's "To the Bone" could be the first mainstream and full-length production tackling eating disorder drama on film. Star Lily Collins said she agreed to be in the movie because she wanted to represent the people who suffer from this condition and open up discussions on the subject. Her character, Ellen, struggles with anorexia in the movie.

Collins said society deems talking about eating disorders as taboo when it shouldn't be the case.

"We all know someone who's either gone through it or knows someone who has, so it's way more relatable than people assume," she said.

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But the first teaser of "To the Bone" that Netflix released in June drew some flak. The video was slammed as it reportedly depicted a dangerous and irresponsible premise. Critics also said that the least Netflix should have done was to post a warning before airing the trailer, which had none, or put a disclaimer when the movie is released.

One expert also said that "To the Bone" could trigger Collins, who admitted to suffering from an eating disorder when she was a teenager.

"Putting Collins in the position where she needed to lose weight for the role, and essentially relive the disease to an extent, crosses a boundary that is not in alignment with healthy recovery," Heather Senior Monroe, LCSW, of the rehabilitation center Newport Academy told SELF.

Marti Noxon, the writer and director of the movie, defended why she did "To the Bone," having recovered from an eating disorder herself.

"This story is really reflective of my own experience of recovery, so what's true is that there are as many stories as there are people who suffer from these illnesses," she told Parade.

But a survivor told Teen Vogue that the film only serves to reinforce the stereotype on eating disorders. Another survivor worried that "To the Bone" would "equate anorexia with vanity."

Viewers will find out how the film will handle this taboo subject when it begins streaming on Netflix on Friday, July 14.