I can't believe this film was made in 2003, and the world of eating disorders is still trudging along. So much of what this movie showed is still accurate, speaking as someone who understands this illness a bit too well.
This movie is strongest in its depiction of relationships and misconceptions within the family regarding blame, causation, and genetic factors. They don't really touch on this, but as much as environmental factors are at play, so are the genetic ones. Mom is absolutely stricken with a pervasive eating disorder, except she is functional; Shelley moves from functional to mental incapacitation (see: scene of hyperventilation in ED unit bed). While they both have the same problem, essentially, the mom has been able to repress the worst of it, unlike Shelley.
Franny is the older sister and has demonstrated sensibility from an early age, but even she is not immune to the pitfalls of the disorder. Nothing explains her own need to engage in behaviors, other than her genetic predisposition, although it's true her environment played a part.
What I loved: this movie does a great job of portraying the impact to the family dynamic, as well as how life can change drastically. Shelley was on her way to huge things, but the ED completely derailed her plans, to the ultimate point of no coming back.
What I disliked: The movie portrays a pretty weak therapist/MD team. This probably is realistic to a large degree, because so many of my own comrades with an ED have had massive complaints about their disconnection with their medical/therapy team. However, it would have been awesome to see how someone in that role could make a positive impact, and how they truly do great work. No one except the patient can truly make the choice to embrace recovery, but there are amazing, patient and vigilantly aware therapists who have studied the trends and understand the pitfalls of early release, for example. (Shelly was not ready - by a million miles - to be released from treatment.)
Extra points of authenticity for nailing how the ED unit of patients can be. Supportive, strong, childish, embittered, numb....those are all the things that ring common and true in an ED unit of young women.
Solid movie worth a watch, even now.
