Movies have a profound impact on how we perceive ourselves and the world around us. When it comes to body image and weight loss, the stories we see on screen can be both inspiring and damaging. This article delves into the complex relationship between film, body image, and eating disorders, exploring a range of movies that tackle these sensitive topics. It aims to provide insight into the diverse ways these issues are portrayed, the potential pitfalls of certain depictions, and the power of film to spark important conversations.
The Problem With On-Screen Representation
The way women's bodies are depicted on screen has long been a topic of concern. The vast majority of women shown in movies are effortlessly beautiful, conforming to narrow beauty standards. Their hair never frizzes, their clothes always fit perfectly, and their bodies are seemingly sculpted from Hollywood marble. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy and alienation for viewers who don't see themselves reflected in these idealized images. As one moviegoer put it, "When you see as many movies as I do, it’s easy to conclude that since your body hasn't been sculpted from Hollywood marble, you should permanently relocate to a cave."
It's hard to relate to characters when the women onscreen don't look like you, or anyone you know. When I was a kid, I thought I found my heroine in Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) in The Princess Diaries because she had curly hair, glasses, and a long last name, like I did. Then, she had to up and “fix” herself. She straightened her hair, got contacts, and became "beautiful."
Eating disorders have been a notoriously difficult topic to tackle in film and television over the years, and many people feel that Hollywood either trivialises the issue, glamorises it, or misses the mark when it comes to the many different types of people in society who suffer from eating disorders.
Historically, there have been issues with the way eating disorders are portrayed on screen, often depicting the ‘typical’ image of young women who are already thin, usually white, and often from a middle-class background. There are few eating disorder movies centering on varying body types, different races, older people, or men. Men make up 25% of people with anorexia or bulimia and 36% of those with binge eating disorder, so this is a hugely overlooked issue.
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There are many people who believe there is no perfect way to depict conditions like anorexia and bulimia on film, so while the movies included in our list aren’t completely free from problems and criticism, they offer a range of viewpoints on a number of types of eating disorders, giving insight into the many ways they can develop over time, how they manifest in different people, and the difficulties (and tragedies) that can occur as a result.
Films as a Roadmap for Our Inner World
Films can be a source of inspiration, prompting discussions about certain conditions. However, it is important to widen the criteria in understanding that an Eating Disorder is about so much more than just food. "What we find interesting or painful about a film can tell us a lot about ourselves. So, when we watch a film about topics that one may find difficult, note the part of you that finds it hard. What pain is being triggered? How do you feel about it? Why do you think it got to you? In this way, film can be a roadmap for our inner world to follow, rather than an unwelcome influence of our behaviour,” as noted by therapist Anjali Singh-Mitter.
Early Depictions of Eating Disorders in Film
Eating disorders were not officially recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders until the 1980s, so they were rarely mentioned in cinema until this decade. One of the first ever to include a central storyline about an eating disorder was The Best Little Girl In The World (1981), a made-for-TV movie. Although it is tough to find and watch due to its age, it gives a somewhat accurate representation of anorexia and bulimia on film for the time. It focuses on the other issues going on in lead character Casey’s life that cause her to develop eating disorder tendencies that spiral out of control. The viewer sees Casey engaging in typical ED behaviors such as skipping meals, throwing up her food, and secretively over-exercising. When the diagnosis of anorexia is eventually given in hospital, it is identified as being one mainly found in adolescent girls subject to unrealistic beauty standards and who feel they have no control. In reality, eating disorders can affect any age or gender. The movie is a touch patronising to watch as it attempts to be educational, but at the time of its release there was little understanding of eating disorders so the film was a well-intentioned attempt to inform on the struggles that sufferers face.
Kate's Secret (1986) was one of the next significant movies to be released in the 80s to feature a storyline purely about an eating disorder. This one broke the mould (slightly) in terms of diversity, as it depicted a mother’s struggles with bulimia, breaking away from the teenage girl stereotype and showing that the issue does not affect only young people. The secretiveness of main character Kate’s bulimia and binge eating is what stands out in this movie, showing how isolating the condition can be. From the outside, Kate’s life appears to be perfect, but inside she is struggling. It is a tad over-dramatic at times, but there are some uncomfortable binge eating scenes that display the feeling of being ‘out of control’. Ultimately Kate’s condition leads her to be involved in an accident, which shows the dangerous consequences of what she is doing, and encourages her to seek treatment.
Biopics and the Reality of Eating Disorders
A documentary movie aired on CBS in 1989 - The Karen Carpenter Story - was the first biopic account of an eating disorder, depicting singer Karen Carpenter’s life (famous for being in the brother-sister duo The Carpenters) and her ongoing struggles with anorexia. Although those close to the story have since claimed that elements of the movie were in fact exaggerated for dramatic effect (for example, a scene where Karen collapses in her parents house apparently never happened), it was a mostly true-to-life account of the struggles that Karen Carpenter went through. It remains a significant depiction as, despite the film’s mostly happy ending (Karen smiling and her mother telling her “I love you”), before the credits role we are informed that Karen Carpenter eventually passed away due to anorexia nervosa, and so this film gives an alternative version to other movies that show the protagonist taking steps to recover. In many cases, eating disorders can be life-threatening, and we see this through The Karen Carpenter Story.
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The Impact on Family and Treatment Resistance
One of the next big movies to feature a main storyline about an eating disorder was For The Love Of Nancy in 1994, which detailed a woman’s battle with anorexia. Although very similar to the previous movies, For The Love Of Nancy was significant at the time because not only did it show the accompanying Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) traits that can often affect eating disorder sufferers, it also showed the effect an eating disorder has on other members of the family, as well as what can happen when a person continues to resist treatment. Although this film definitely showed a dramatic Hollywood story mainly taking place in a courtroom, it was an interesting take on the issue that featured actress Tracey Gold. Gold was recovering from anorexia in real life and so used a lot of her own life experiences to inform the role. There are of course moral questions about the implications of casting a person recovering from an eating disorder in such a role, but taken at face value the movie offers a slightly different perspective on the issue through the family’s eyes.
The Secretive Nature of Eating Disorders
Sharing The Secret (2000) shows a fairly ‘typical’ eating disorder story from the outside; a young girl in high school becomes obsessed with her weight and controlling what she eats due to comments made by her peers. Her family (distracted with other home issues) have no idea. The movie begins with the line “the following story is inspired by actual case histories”, which seems to be evident from some of the carefully chosen dialogue, particularly between main character Beth and her mother. There are scenes of Beth engaging in bingeing and purging behaviours, and hiding them from those around her at school and at home.
What makes this film a particularly challenging watch are the scenes where Beth’s mother attempts to handle the situation by essentially forbidding the bulimia and blaming herself, only to be met with Beth’s line “this is not about you”. For many suffering with an eating disorder, this can be very relatable. Parents tend to believe they could have done something differently when faced with a child’s eating disorder struggles, but this isn’t always the case. There are positive scenes towards the end of the film showing Beth receiving treatment, and how her mother and family go on to support her.
Family Dynamics and Modeling Behavior
Although several other movies about eating disorders were released between the 90s and the early 2000s, most were centred around the issue of young girls attempting to lose weight in order to achieve their dreams of being dancers, gymnasts, or something similar. While these aspirations can still play a role in a desire to lose weight, Hunger Point was noted as showing a little more nuance in the underlying reasons people begin to develop EDs. The film focuses on Frannie, whose sister goes to a psychiatric hospital to be treated for anorexia. It is clear that the girls’ mother has contributed to their obsessive dieting, and placed her own negative thoughts about food and body image onto her daughters. The movie is very unsubtle, with the mother character coming across as rather villainous, however it does stand out because of the underlying reasons for the girls developing their respective eating disorders. It shows we model our behaviors after what we see happening around us, and is a careful reminder to those raising impressionable young people that the choices we make and the words we say have consequences.
Documenting the Harsh Realities
In 2006 we saw the first mainstream documentary on eating disorders, showing issues like anorexia, bulimia and more with uncomfortably raw footage from a treatment centre in Florida. The film follows four women all battling with their own specific issues in the treatment centre, all from different walks of life ranging from a young student to a housewife, although notably lacking in racial or gender diversity. Unlike many other cinematic depictions of eating disorders, the film does not glamorise the issues they face, and shows the severe consequences and deep unhappiness faced by all of the women. It focuses on how their lives have essentially fallen apart as a result of their eating disorders. As a documentary it certainly shows the dark side of the issue without romanticising it, however it’s worth noting that the movie does not end with any resolutions for the viewer, but instead shows the ongoing nature of eating disorders. The footage is rather harrowing at times, and at its best can perhaps be viewed as a glimpse into the last resort treatment options for those suffering, or as a cautionary tale to encourage them to accept intervention before the condition reaches the later stages. Thin (2006) does not glamorize the issues they face, and shows the severe consequences and deep unhappiness faced by all of the women.
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The Influence of Online Communities
Starving in Suburbia (2014) has had its share of criticism due to the ‘classic’ storyline of a young, white, middle-class woman suffering from an eating disorder. However, the film displays a previously unexplored reason for the protagonist developing the disorder. The main character, Hannah, becomes entangled in a “pro-ana” forum online, which stands for “promoting anorexia”. In it, other online users share their own tips for starving themselves, prompting Hannah to try them out. Hannah’s family are focused on her brother's upcoming wrestling tournament, and the film shows an interesting juxtaposition between the protagonist trying to lose weight while her brother tries to gain it. It touches on eating disorders in males, and remains one of few films to show this issue. It isn’t exactly a hard-hitting look at anorexia, but the movie does offer a slightly different take to the others as it focuses on how online influence can affect impressionable young people or vulnerable people. You may be familiar with harmful "thinspo" communities online showing eating disorder content and encouraging people to take measures they may not have thought of on their own, and this film shows how easy it can be to start paying attention to such content.
Generational Impact and Social Media
Body Of Water was released in 2020, and wasn’t particularly well-received by critics at the time, but the British film has since been noted as an interesting take on the issue of eating disorders. It shows both a middle aged woman battling her issues and receiving treatment (a change from the typical teenage patient), as well as showing the difficult dynamics between her daughter and her own mother. Since eating disorders can cause significant challenges for those around the person suffering, families are often involved in therapy. This film offers a slightly different view on the topic, showing how it impacts several generations of a family who must witness the protagonist and navigate her repeated attempts to get better.
In this sombre film, the protagonist returns from her treatment centre, and is immediately met with wedding preparations for her mother’s upcoming nuptials which involve trying on and scrutinising bridesmaids dresses - a look at how a ‘perfect storm’ of seemingly harmless situations can affect a person with an eating disorder. The movie also touches on social media use and its impact, so there are a few underlying triggers addressed in this film.
Controversy and Complexity
To The Bone (2017) is one of the most recent attempts to show a realistic portrayal of life with an eating disorder, and perhaps one of the most widely dissected, for several reasons. One, because it does nothing to negate the stereotype that eating disorders are only an issue for thin white women. Two, because it contains many scenes that could be accused of handing sufferers an instruction manual on how to hide eating disorder behaviours. And three - perhaps most controversially - it stars actress Lily Collins who has spoken publicly about her own eating disorder in the past, which makes it potentially problematic that she was asked to lose weight for the role.
While this film can be seen as controversial on a number of levels and should be watched with caution, it does give an in-depth look at the potentially long-term battle that many with eating disorders face, how it affects other family members, what it is like to stay in a treatment centre, and the many complex and nuanced reasons people avoid eating or purge. Even if it’s not the best handled movie out there, it reiterates the complexity of the issue and could be helpful in initiating an open discussion on the topic of anorexia.
Body Positivity and Overweight Characters
Looking beyond script analysis of weight-related terms, the film industry has a long and varied history of producing movies that feature overweight characters. Some actors have enough natural talent that weight all but becomes a moot point. Boisterous SNL veteran Chris Farley took center stage in movies from “Tommy Boy” (1995) and “Black Sheep” (1996). Two plus-sized women stole the show in 2011’s “Bridesmaids”: Melissa McCarthy as the groom’s sister Megan and Rebel Wilson as awful roommate Brynn. The film version of the hit musical “Hairspray,” which debuted in 2007, chronicles the life of Tracy Turnblad (played by Nikki Blonsky) as she follows her dream of becoming a dancer. “Precious” (2009) chronicles the struggles of an abused overweight teen trying to turn her life around.
Dumplin’ is a coming-of-age comedy with body image as one of its central themes. Starring Jennifer Aniston and Danielle Macdonald, it’s a story about a plus-size teenager who decides to sign up for her town’s beauty pageant as a form of protest. Muriel’s Wedding is an old classic, and even though it was released back in the ‘90s, it’s still a feel-good favourite. The story centres around Muriel Heslop (played by Toni Collette), a socially awkward woman who has never been on a date. Another ‘90s hit, The Full Monty tells the story of a group of men who lose their jobs in an English mining town. In a desperate attempt to make ends meet, the men come together to put on a dance show based on a Chippendales’ performance.
Weight-Related Remarks in Film
Characters mentioned weight a whopping 31 times during the 104-minute-long film. One character goes by “Fat Lou” and the term “fat” is used in a derogatory manner. In second place comes “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me” (1996) with 29 mentions: “I can’t stop eating. I eat because I’m unhappy, and I’m unhappy because I eat.
Weight-Related Character Names
In “Drive Angry,” which debuted in 2011, Jack McGee plays Fat Lou - the slightly lecherous guy who runs Fat Lou’s Roadside Diner. The memorable “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me” pokes continual fun at “Fat Bastard,” a morbidly obese henchman portrayed by Mike Meyers. The script for 1997’s “The Postman” (1997) features a character referred to as “Chubby Sentry,” played by Andy Garrison. And 2012’s “Papadopoulos & Sons” includes a man called “Fat Laki,” played by Jimmy Roussounis.
Comedies and Weight
Comedies come first (with 23.86% of weight-related remarks), and action films are a close second (holding 23.51% of mentions of weight). Comic Sarah Silverman sums it up to Time magazine: “That’s the reason people become funny is to overcome pain,” she says. It may be a common reality, and indeed we draw humor from it regularly, but it’s fundamentally tragic - not comical - that anyone would feel compelled to joke about their weight to dodge public scrutiny and derision. In many of these instances, people are clearly masking pain - pain that in some cases may spur development of disordered eating, potentially leading to conditions such as anorexia. A struggle with body image can ultimately have severe repercussions, and many people in these situations can benefit from some form of counseling.
Motivational Films
Motivation for losing weight can be obtained even after watching several sports films. They go to the goal and spare no effort for the sake of sporting achievements.
Brittany Runs a Marathon (2019) Hilarious, outgoing and always up for a good time, New Yorker Brittany Forgeries everybody's best friend -- except maybe her own. At 27, her hard-partying ways, chronic underemployment and toxic relationships are catching up with her, but when she stops by a new doctor's office to try to score some Adderall, she gets slapped with a prescription she never wanted: Get healthy. Too broke for a gym and too proud to ask for help, Brit is at a loss, until her seemingly together neighbor Catherine pushes her to lace up her Converse sneakers and run one sweaty block. The next day, she runs two. And soon, after finishing her first mile, she sets an almost unthinkable goal: running in the New York City Marathon
Without Limits The story of the dramatic life of the legendary Steve Prefontein, an athlete who had no equal on the treadmill. There were no unbreakable boundaries and unattainable records for him. On the way to victory, Prefontein had to endure the bitterness of defeat, it could be the sign to stop, but not. Great and tragic - two sides of the gold medal, and Steve Prefontein was destined to become the most tragic great star of world sports.
Rocky Who is Rocky Balboa? This is a legendary man, a shy, but extremely stubborn and talented boxer who did not spare himself and rose from the very bottom to the top of fame. With his charm, he makes millions fall in love with himself, and shocks even professionals with bloody fights. He exhausts himself with grueling training and dreams of a world champion belt. Like a bull terrier, he attacks his opponents, no matter how dangerous they may be. He always goes to the very end, and it seems that he would rather die than show his weakness.
Million Dollar Baby Another impressive and incredibly motivating film about boxing is Million Dollar Baby, directed by actor and director Clint Eastwood. A persistent and purposeful girl named Maggie comes to the gym to an experienced coach Frank Dunn. She pursues high goals and most of all wants to achieve success in boxing. First of all, she is faced with the mistrust and arrogance of those around her but hard training is doing its job, bringing her not only universal respect, but also impressive victories. One of the most powerful characters in the world of cinema is able to easily motivate the viewer to achieve her goal. The film got four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. The leading role, Hilary Swank, was prepared for filming by boxing and kickboxing champion Lucia Rizhker.
Invincible Vince Papale worked as a bartender and could not even imagine that he would take part in a professional sports team. But when he heard about the experimental selection, allowing anyone to take a place in the team of football players, he decided to go and try himself . Unexpectedly for everyone, Vince, who even during his student years did not play football, turns into a professional football player! This is a dramatic story about how a person can achieve success in sports, starting at any age. The film describes a real episode from the history of the American football team "Philadelphia Eagles" and its player Vincent Papale.
Creed It is hard to imagine a more motivating workout music track than Eye of the Tiger, known all over the world thanks to the movie "Rocky 3". And the films of the series themselves are a visual aid for those who sometimes lack motivation to train. In the recent film in the series, “Creed: The Rocky Legacy”, the story of a new character is revealed. Adonis, the son of the famous boxer Apollo Creed, managed to make a good career as an economist, but at the same time he secretly wants to follow his father's footsteps to achieve success in the ring. Having gone through many difficulties, he becomes a student of Rocky. This film brought Sylvester Stallone an Oscar nomination “Best Supporting Actor”. The tape was only the second full-length film in the filmography of director Ryan Coogler.
LBS LBS is a movie with a really interesting story. The writer, Carmine Famiglietti was heavily overweight. He wanted motivation to lose weight. So he decided to make a movie about himself losing weight, and he starred in it himself. That genius decision led to the creation of LBS, an independent movie that Hollywood producers didn’t back. LBS is a real, honest, gritty story that shows what it’s really like to try to go from obese to healthy. It’s great, and I really respect the writer/actor for his bravery. I mean, so far from Megan Fox wanting to show off her body, Carmine Famiglietti intentionally created a movie about one of the less impressive aspects of his life.
Seeking Help and Finding Support
If you believe you have an eating disorder, you can seek help from your GP to discuss resources, treatment options and mental health counselling, or reach out to a qualified specialist to find out your options. Keep in mind that, despite what is pictured in some of the films above and others that have been released over the years, taking the first step in seeking help for an eating disorder does not typically involve anyone being forced to commit to an in-patient stay in a treatment facility. Reach out to friends or family who can help if you feel comfortable doing so, and if not, speak to a doctor or specialist on your own.