Thin

Thin is a candid and deeply moving 2006 documentary that offers a poignant exploration of the personal and societal challenges faced by women dealing with eating disorders. Directed and produced by acclaimed photojournalist Lauren Greenfield, the film is her first feature-length documentary. The documentary features the profound stories of four women - Shelly Guillory, Brittany Robinson, Alisa Williams, and Polly Williams - who are battling life-threatening eating disorders.

Set in the Renfrew Centre, a residential facility in Coconut Creek, Florida that specializes in treating eating disorders, the movie provides an unflinching look into the complexities of these diseases. The central characters - Brittany Robinson, a 15-year-old cheerleader; Alisa Williams, a 30-year-old divorcée and night student; Polly, a 29-year-old who has been there eight times over six years; and Shelly, a 25-year-old who is dealing with multiple health issues resulting from anorexia - all share personal struggles about body image, beauty standards, and their struggles with self-value.

Thin is notable for Greenfield's uncompromising and sensitive lens. The viewer is provided with an extremely intimate view into the lives and emotions of the women at the center of the film. One scene shows the patients' group therapy session, where they tearfully confess their ingrained fear and guilt associated with food. The center's multifaceted approach to treatment, which includes therapy, dieting advice, medication, and even humble daily chores, is captured in a way that mirrors the myriad of challenges faced by those grappling with eating disorders.

Highlighting the complexities and trials faced by those struggling to overcome the shackles of eating disorders, the film offers an unforgettable reveal about the physical and psychological ordeals brought about by the mental disorders. It doesn’t shy away from expressing the darker reality of the patients’ conflicted relationships with food and glaringly reveals the profound role that societal beauty norms and pressures play in the patients’ struggles.

Shelly Guillory, a critical character in the film, battles not just with an eating disorder but also with the consequences of her actions as her body is no longer able to feed itself. Her harrowing journey provides a grim reminder of the potential life-threatening aspects of eating disorders. Through Alisa Williams, we witness the terrifying power these disorders can hold over an individual's life. Divorced and mother to an infant, Williams has already had multiple stays at Renfrew, and she struggles with the consistent pull of her disease.

While Brittany Robinson, the youngest in the group, allows us to observe the painful reality that eating disorders can strike at a very young age, her battle is additionally complex due to her adolescence and the accompanying challenges. Polly, while being a voice of experience within the group, grapples with recurring relapses and embodies the heartbreaking reality that recovery is far from straightforward.

Instead of trying to oversimplify the cause of eating disorders, Greenfield portrays the immense power of learned behaviors, societal expectations, and internal mental health struggles through this film. She points no fingers, placing blame on no one – rather, Thin arises as an empathetic portrait of a handful of women living in their truth, wrestling daily with their own minds. The film’s strength lies in its ability to highlight the perseverance of these women, who, despite their struggles, remain committed to finding themselves beneath the layers of these disorders.

Aside from being a chilling exposé of the harsh truths associated with eating disorders, Thin is also a testament to femininity and sisterhood. Relationships between the women in the facility display innumerable moments of solidarity, where they act as pillars of strength for each other while challenging their own tendencies.

In conclusion, Thin is a thought-provoking documentary that tells the all-too-real stories of women battling a disorder that continues to claim countless lives around the world. With its frank and raw storytelling, the film offers a climate for viewers to think critically about beauty standards, societal pressures, and how they have the potential to impact mental health. A must-watch for anyone seeking to understand more about the brutal reality of living with eating disorders, Thin invites viewers to step into a world marked by struggle, resilience, and, above all, hope for recovery.