Secret Cutting

While I did not think this movie was terrible, I didn't think it was great either. But, it did have the creepy factor down. It put me in a numb, thoughtless mood for a few hours after I finished watching it. The scene that I really think got me was when she used the razor and cut her stomach, etc.

I thought that this was a pretty decent film for someone who knew nothing about cutting. However, I am really sick of these "awareness" movies, about things like cutting, eating disorders, etc., who try to show a "typical" victim. Even when they try to make the victim come from a "typical" family, such as in "Secret Cutting," there are always obvious factors (usually external) that provoke the problem. Why can't they ever show a character who doesn't know or can't explain what makes her (or him) do whatever she is doing? It upsets me that these kind of movies always make everything so clear-cut and easy to understand.

However, Dawn's situation in this movie did explain her cutting, and the movie was overall good. While some people commented that her expressions and the "orgasmic" cutting experience were unrealistic, I fully disagree. For some, at least, cutting is a way of releasing inner feelings - it calms you down. You can feel all the stress and pain from life fade away for a little while. I think that, if anything, Dawn's expressions while she is cutting makes it more realistic, and shows the depth of her cutting. Overall, it's not a great movie, but it's not terrible either.

I'm positive some people identified with this movie, therefore it deserves defending. The things people complained about or said were unrealistic, well maybe to some yes, but to others it is a shocking view of their world.

I thought certain things, the flaws as others have called them, were the most realistic parts. The "angst-ridden" teen, the stand offish parents, the drama of her loneliness, these are real.

Life really can be like that for people, especially teenagers. No, not all, probably not even most. But I have seen them. It is not difficult for someone so young to fall into a world of self loathing and self destructive behavior, whether it be drugs, sex, or a more complex issue like bulimia or cutting.

High school can be wicked, and not everyone has the ability to "develop a thick skin." Kids that have few or no real friends can feel very isolated, even with "normal" supportive parents.

As for the clueless parents, they just seem human to me. People do get confused, hide their emotions and do all the wrong things. Often, parents have unresolved issues that are hidden even to themselves. These issues often effect how they handle situations such as these.

Yes, you do have to read a lot into this movie. But a movie that spells it all out for you is a documentary, not a drama. Thought provoking films have much hidden depth, as this one did. A valiant effort for a TV movie I should think.

Oh, one more thing I'd like to offer my viewpoint on. I didn't think she looked orgasmic after her cutting. I thought she looked numb, like her pain was quiet. I have to agree with whomever called it an addiction. One can have many ways of masquerading control over life. This is just one on a list of thousands.

This was an excellent movie for a family to watch together. I was happy that it wasn't a movie that starts off with a troubled teen, then halfway thorough the movie, they get help, and in the end, they're perfectly fine. It shows was actually goes on with self-mutilation. Cutting isn't a very known thing but this movie brings it to light. It also shows how these problems don't just fix themselves in a matter of weeks; it takes time and understanding from everyone involved in the said person's life.

I first watched this film on the Lifetime channel because my favorite actor, Kett Turton, was in it. I was hesitant to watch it at first, being a self injurer myself, I was worried it might be triggering for me. The first time I watched it, I had though it was done with an outstanding accuracy and had applauded it openly.

I saw it again recently and realized, judging from my own personal experiences, that it isn't as accurate as I had once thought, but not too far off. A prime example of it's inaccuracy would be how excited Dawn seemed to get while cutting. It might be that way for some, but for me it seemed odd and a very unrealistic reaction unless she happened to be masochistic. But it's inaccuracy there is outnumbered by the accuracy I did find. The franticness in which she cut was precise and realistic. I also found the way she was so ashamed of her cuts and always hiding them is extremely characteristic of a self-injurer. It shows that contrary to popular belief, us self-injurers aren't all "attention whores", parading our scars and cuts, flaunting our pain.

I believe that the first time I watched it when I was 13, I think I got what I wanted to from the film, and now being 16, I realize it's still the same: self-injury is slowly but surely making itself more main-stream and something needs to be done about it.

I am an avid cutter myself, but luckily go through bouts of time where I won't even look at a sharp object. Self injury is a condition people should recognize more and this movie shows how serious it can get without the cutter realizing that it only takes one cut too deep and it could all be over. I will admit, I am a total hypocrite towards this issue: I say don't do it and I do it myself. I suggest this movie to anyone who is a self-injurer or have a friend or family member who injures themselves.

If you hurt yourself or know someone who does, you should go to this site, it has a lot of good information whether you cut or not. http://www.self-injury.net/

when i first saw this movie i was 14 and had been cutting for seven or eight years. dawn reminded me so much of myself. i used to be like omigod totally popular, but i pulled away from my friends and became a loner.when people found out that i was a cutter, the school which used to be my loving home became hell. my home life was hell. my parents responded jhust like dawn's. my brother told me to go kill myself and i did the same thing she did. i tore myself apart. i'm still not better and am only going onto my 28th day of sobriety, but after 12 years of tearing myself open i know that being picked on did nothing but push me further over the edge. i know over 100 girls and boys that hurt themselves and that's just in my small 2000 person town and i don't even know everyone. there are probably more that i don't even know about. don't judge... because we're all around you.