After months of waiting, Netflix's "To the Bone" was finally released worldwide on Friday, July 14. However, it was unable to live up to the hype and has been receiving negative reviews so far.
Just like "13 Reasons Why," "To the Bone" has garnered criticism for seemingly glamorizing mental illness. Many viewers feel that the film's portrayal of anorexia is irresponsible — thanks to writer and director Marti Noxon's decision to have anorexia survivor, Lily Collins, become severely underweight for the role.
While the goal of the film was not to glamorize eating disorders but to serve as a conversation starter, Noxon has acknowledged the fact that some individuals might not like such a story. However, if there is one thing she is happy about, it is that "To the Bone" comes after "13 Reasons Why."
"It ignited this conversation not only internally at Netflix but then there's been a certain amount of talk about it in the media, which I think hopefully it will make people aware that if it's personal to them and they're at a place where it could be difficult or bring stuff up to them, it might be a good idea to wait," the 52-year-old television and film writer said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
Noxon further revealed that there is a card at the start of "To the Bone," informing viewers that the content can be extremely emotional.
The film follows the struggles of a 20-year-old artist, Ellen (Collins), who is sent to an inpatient treatment home in an attempt to overcome her demons. Despite the aid of an unconventional doctor, William Beckham (Keanu Reeves), she keeps on grappling with the urge to count calories or burn them by constantly doing sit-ups.
Aside from Collins and Reeves, "To the Bone" stars Carrie Preston, Lili Taylor, Alex Sharp, Liana Liberato, Brooke Smith and Ciara Bravo.
