Thin (2006) User Reviews

Eating Disorders 101

[lastliberal · 8/10 · 30 April 2007]

One of the best documentaries of last year. If you know anyone who has an eating disorder, then this film will give you a clear insight into their behavior, and also into treatment facilities, and why they fail.

I am so against the behavior-based practices of facilities like the one depicted in this movie. They are so about rules and really do not get into the whys. You will leave this film at the end not having any more understanding of why someone would exist on 200 calories a day, than you did in the beginning.

It is no wonder that most go back to their behaviors when they leave. No one addressed the inner demons. It is all "Just Say NO," and we know how that works on the drug problem or keeping teens from having sex.

You can't help feeling sorry for these girls. You know they are destined to continue in their hell.

Thank you, Lauren Greenfield, for introducing us to them.

A sneak peak into a reality tv version of rehab

[kamfg · 7/10 · 7 December 2021]

It's an eye opening look into the in-patient care of women facing ED. I don't think the psychology tactics of the staff aged well, specifically when staff called 3 patients in together to tattle on each other and then called 2 of them back in together to give more details (felt more Mean Girls than professional help). It's easy for the viewer to connect emotionally with each of the women. By the end I was in tears for each one of them. I just wish ED docs shed light on why some people get ED. There's a wide range of reasons that extend beyond just wanting to be "thin".

Interesting and sad

[yesdnilw · 7/10 · 12 January 2016]

Very good documentary, thorough and shows the deep dark side of eating disorders and what these people will do in order to keep feeding their mental disorder while at the same time so desperate to get better and leave a healthier and better person.

It's kind of interesting though how seriously immature these women are. Clique-y and just very high school like. I think that Shelly's mom should leave anyone's weight, including her daughter's(besides getting healthy), out of their conversations. Asking her daughter if she thinks so and so is big is just really immature and shows major insecurity. Hope these women are doing better.

Interesting to a point but loses the bigger subject by focusing so tightly on the specifics of the treatment centre

[bob the moo · 10 March 2007]

This documentary follows a group of girls in a private hospital in Florida for treatment for anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders. The timing is only ever going to more relevant with coming time I think because weight is an increasing issue. I know the media does exaggerate for the sake of stories but we do either seem to be a society of obesity or undereating. Watching America's Next Top Model and shows of the ilk you regularly hear "too big" or worse from the judges in relation to girls who are very trim by modern standards. Meanwhile "size zero" is the thing of nightmares for those concerned about the women who feel forced to be thinner and thinner. All this against the background of the very public death of model Reston (40kg at age 21) from an infection after her system was weakened by the effects of anorexia.

So with all this in mind I was quite looking forward to this film because I hoped that it would be worthy of the subject – which is important and depressing. The film goes behind the scenes at a treatment centre in South Florida and follows the patients and doctors through counselling sessions, weighing, community sessions and just hanging out. The degree of access is impressive and the subjects don't seem to be affected at all by having a camera around them all the time. It is a shame then that the film doesn't deliver a point or a well constructed case but it doesn't really manage to do this. The "fly on the wall" approach does provide value as the lives of the girls do make for an engaging documentary but I couldn't help but feel that the film should be using the girls to access a bigger point rather than being about the dramas within the treatment centre alone.

This is best seen in the final third, which seems to be mostly about Polly and her friends being confronted by the staff over their behaviour and attitudes; this made it more of a soap opera than anything else and, although interesting, it was not what I had hoped the film would be. Greenfield's direction is very good, providing lots of intimate shots without ever getting in the way of the people or the treatment. She does turn out a film that is engaging and touching at turns but I didn't think that it did much to my understanding of the conditions. For viewers who dismiss it as "all in the head" and a western disease for fashion obsessed girls, there isn't much here to educate otherwise.

Overall then this is a weakness to the film because it doesn't deal with the subject but rather the specific people in the centre. This means it is not as good or as important as it should have been an, although it is of some interest, it is certainly not the film that I had hoped it would be.

Loved It

[puppyluv43 · 10/10 · 24 October 2014]

Lauren Greenfield's documentary gave a great view inside of eating disorder treatment facilities, and the lives of the people who need them. Although it did not inform the audience of how eating disorders develop, or how the main subjects got to Renfrew, the treatment facility that the film focuses on, that somehow aided Greenfield in eliminating any bias that may have come out if it had been directed by by someone else. Greenfield also opts to not use any voice overs, and she only interviews the patients, if anyone. I thought this was especially bold, allowing for the footage of the patients lives in the center to speak for themselves, as opposed to swaying the audience's view through a voice over.

After watching this film, however, I have started to question the validity of other eating disorder facilities; do they all treat patients like this, having extreme eating regimens and rules for everything? The scene that moved me the most was when the staff accused one of the patients, Shelly, of hiding food. They questioned her to the point of tears and interrogation, showing her that they had no trust in her. Even after the film revealed that the food was hidden by another patient, the staff members that had accused her were slow to apologize. That type of treatment can be extremely deteriorating to a patient with an eating disorder; they should be in a trusting and encouraging environment that promotes a positive body image, not a place where all of their control is taken away and they are treated like children.

Overall, I am extremely thankful to Lauren Greenfield for making this documentary. It was very helpful for me to learn what it is actually like to have an eating disorder without all of the glamor that morphs it on the internet. It was stark to the point of disgust towards the disorders, persuading me and anyone else, including those who are recovering from anorexia or bulimia, to avoid that type of lifestyle. I recommend this film to anyone who has access to it. Whether or not someone has any interest it watching it, Thin will have an impact on everyone.

Amazing

[Honeymoor · 10/10 · 26 November 2006]

This movie is very truthful. I would recommend everyone to see it especially younger women and girls. Im overweight myself but do not feel the same way some of these girls do. It is amazing to see how obsessive they are and the lengths they will go to..... It made a very strong impression on me and my friends. It is weird how far these women and girls will go to just to see themselves as thin. My friends are skinny at 110 pounds but some of these women reach 30 pounds lighter than that. I think some parents have a lot to do with the problems. The movie shows that. People can influence you in a good way or a bad way. In this movie there are even cliques. Its like high school in a hospital.

Believe me - Being Thinner Is Not Always Better

[StrictlyConfidential · 6/10 · 8 August 2020]

These days eating disorders (such as anorexia and bulimia) are, without question, a very serious problem that affects millions-upon-millions of men and women all across this continent and, yes, well-beyond.

"Thin" is an informative documentary that honestly tries to address the dilemma of eating disorders in order to help the viewer to better understand the seriousness of what is facing those who are afflicted by this problem of wanting to be super-slim.

(*Note*) - Due to its grave subject matter - "Thin" is far from being an uplifting viewing experience.

Very insightful about eating disorders and also how messed up treatment facilities can be

[karaokebowl · 10/10 · 4 May 2021]

I saw this documentary years ago but just watched it again. I feel like there is some really good insight as to what really happens when people deal with anorexia and bulimia on a daily basis. The thinking patterns are truly diseased and I can say that because I deal with addiction myself.

However, I think treatment facilities like the one shown here are detrimental to patients. Not trusting patients and treating them like children just makes them feel worse about themselves. Treatment needs to involve intense one on one therapy and 12 step programs and step work not just monitoring people and punishing them. It makes me very sad and angry to see this. To see someone like Polly make so much progress and then be kicked out. Disgusting. She might have lived if she had been able to stay. And insurance running out, that's a whole other messed up issue. Our healthcare system is f'ed.

Poignant Glimpse Into the Lives of Eating Disorder Sufferers

[jamesleonard-74351 · 8/10 · 23 January 2023]

The documentary Thin was released in 2006 and directed by Lauren Greenfield. It follows the lives of four young women, ranging from their teens to early thirties, who are sent to temporarily reside in a treatment care facility in Boca Raton, FL, for eating disorder patients. All four of the women hail from different states within the U. S. and grapple with a variety of disordered eating habits, ranging from anorexia nervosa (restrictive eating), bulimia nervosa (binging and purging), to binge eating disorder. Upon being released from the treatment facility, the women quickly slip back into their old ways of struggling with obsessive-compulsive rituals to lose weight quickly, whether by severely restricting caloric intake or binge eating and self-induced vomiting.

Witnessing one of the women at the treatment facility demonize a refined sugar-laden vanilla cupcake was especially poignant. People who suffer from eating disorders often perceive "fattening" and "unhealthy" foods as the most dangerous weapon and have truly lost sight of the bigger picture beyond their focus on controlling their food intake and weight. Seeing the women form friendships and bond over acting like silly teenagers jumping on the bed, or hugging each other goodbye, was also touching. A reminder that these treatment facility patients are human beings, capable of forming bonds, and who each have distinct backstories before their eating disorder took over their lives.

Many critics have accused rehabilitation facility staff of treating their clientele with a cold, clinical approach centered more on increasing caloric intake and body weight rather than uncovering and addressing the core emotional and psychological issues that led these women to engage in disordered eating habits and rituals. The climax of the documentary features one of the four women being asked to leave the facility for modeling disruptive and rebellious behavior. Upon her departure, she engages in self-induced vomiting and requests to smoke cigarettes in the cab leaving the facility. It is revealed at the end of the documentary that all four of the women drastically dropped in weight proceeding their release from the treatment facility, and the woman who was asked to leave committed suicide.

Thin did not hesitate to share graphic footage of women who struggle with life-debilitating mental health issues repeatedly vomiting into toilets, hysterically expressing their desire to die, or struggling to hush the voice of their inner critic, one of which condemns themself as "disgusting" or "pathetic." What the documentary did lack was including footage of the women making strides toward recovery. Not only in terms of recognizing distorted perceptions related to body dysmorphia but also addressing the motivations they harbored to engage in dysfunctional eating, exercising, and purging rituals or seeing the glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel. Being able to envision a life where they are not slaves to their mental health disorders, spending every day counting calories in vegetables and sugar-free gum, binge eating in shame and secrecy, vomiting into toilets or running X amount of miles on the treadmill. Questions therapists at the treatment facility could have potentially posed were, is there anything you want out of life you can't achieve in this state of mind? Is there a lifestyle you'd like to be living you would not be able to enjoy if you are struggling with engaging in disordered eating habits on a daily basis? Were there major events or changes in your life that triggered the beginning of using disordered eating rituals to cope with being unable to control other aspects (of your life)?

There was also a lack of acknowledgment of external factors that could have affected the self-esteem of these women. For example, Western society's strong focus on thin body ideals, the American beauty, fashion, and entertainment industries, or the pressure to remain "elegant" for women who grew up doing ballet or gymnastics.

not accurate...

[crystalrosen23 · 8/10 · 8 November 2014]

The big thing for me is, sure it's a good documentary, but it is one, super triggering and two, lots of people at Renfrew are average or above average weight, seeing as Renfrew deals with all eating disorders. Just saying, this is a huge blanket and not as accurate as it could be. It was very good. The only complaint is the huge Stereo type blanket of All girls with eating disorders are severely underweight. Yeah, that is NOT TRUE AT ALL. But I'm glad most recovered as far as I know. Why do you have to have freaking ten lines?! Um, also, the movie painted it kinda hopelessly, which is also, thankfully inaccurate. Yeah.

Not happy with treatment portrayed in the film...

[dwass-78943 · 2/10 · 12 February 2016]

I couldn't even finish watching this film because I was too angry at the system trying to heal and treat these women. I think the documentary gives good insight to the seriousness and severity of eating disorders and how deeply rooted they become part of someone's life. However, my opinion of the approach taken to treat the woman in this film is not effective. First of all, I can't even count on my fingers how many ads for anti-depressants and pills there were flying around in the facility. Drugs are not the answer to the underlying issues of eating disorders. I also noticed that the food being served did not look that great. These woman should be having groups where they learn about nutrition and how the body functions optimally and they should be served all whole foods that are of the best quality and fresh juices to get their bodies and minds restored and rejuvenated. They should be out in the sun and meditating and getting their bodies and minds back to nature. I could not stand to watch these woman suffering in an institutionalized facility being treated like babies when they are just trying to gain control of their lives and get healthy. Maybe other people disagree but I just think there are better paths to treatment than the one I saw in this film.

Truth!

[petia9704 · 10/10 · 3 August 2020]

This documentary has opened my eyes, if you are even slightly interested in the way these people live their lives and what are their problems, this documentary will help you get in their world for an hour or two. To everyone who thinks you can be addicted and mentally ruined by drugs only, this is the movie for you to be proven wrong!

The Deadly Downside To Being Thin, Thinner, Thinnest

[strong-122-478885 · 5/10 · 3 June 2015]

In the USA, today, it is estimated that there are close to 5 million adults (most of them young and most of them females) who are dealing, in one way or another, with a serious eating disorder, particularly that of anorexia. It is also noted that (due to this illness) many have literally starved themselves to death.

If you happen to be a hearty eater and have no problem about putting on a few extra pounds, then you may find it somewhat difficult to relate to the eating disorders that plague these women (whose ages ranged from 15 to 30) in this documentary. But, all the same, these eating disorders are very real and clearly pose a threat to the health (both physical and mental) of many, many people, the world over.

Personally, I found "Thin" to be such a depressing experience as I watched these women face their eating disorders on a day-to-day basis that, before long, I began to feel somewhat uncomfortable about being witness to their distress, their frustrations and their tears.

Please, don't get me wrong here - I don't, in any way, belittle or undermine the grave seriousness of eating disorders, but (being an outsider to this dysfunctional behaviour), in the end, I could only rank this documentary with an "average", 2.5-star rating.

Where Fat Meets Thin

[xyzkozak · 5/10 · 1 August 2015]

If you're someone who has (or suspects you have) an eating disorder, then I would certainly recommend that you give "Thin" a serious view.

This documentary certainly does open one's eye to how really critical this problem is in the USA, alone. It's estimated that eating disorders affect millions (especially teen-aged girls) all across the American nation, and beyond.

The one thing that I found to be on the somewhat ironic side of "Thin" was that a number of the employees (both men and women) who worked at the Renfrew Center (where a good portion of this documentary was filmed) were, indeed, grossly overweight. This, in turn, showed yet another form of eating disorder and greatly contrasted the super-thin look of the patients who were in residence there.

All-in-all - I found a good part of this documentary to be on the depressing side, and so, in the long run, I wasn't able to fully appreciate the grave message that it was trying to deliver.

Reality T.V.

[view_and_review · 4/10 · 6 January 2022]

If you've watched "My 600 Pound Life" then this is the total opposite of that. Instead of having no control over their eating habits, they control it too much to the point they hardly eat. Instead of having no concern about their body image, they spend every waking moment concerned about it. These women have eating disorders which cause them to either not eat, or purge after eating large quantities. Both disorders result in unhealthy weight loss, yet they all have a fat image of themselves.

I think this documentary should've pivoted off of these patients early on and turned its attention towards experts, statistics, cartoons, paint drying, or anything else. It didn't take very long for these women to get very irritating. The documentary took on a reality T. V. feel, and I loathe reality T. V. I don't think there's a form of entertainment on television worse than reality T. V. The women have an eating disorder. That interested me. The whining, crying, histrionics, and drama did not.