Displaying items by tag: Lily Collins

TO THE BONE

US, 2017, 107 minutes, Colour.

Lily Collins, Keanu Reeves, Alex Sharp, Carrie Preston, Liana Liberato, Lily Taylor.

Directed by Marti Noxon.

A serious film about young women and eating disorders. Publicity notes that the writer-director, Marti Noxon, as well is the star, Lily Collins, both experienced these disorders in their early lives. The film has been careful not to provoke audiences, move towards relapses, but trying to indicate aspects for medical and psychological help.

Lily Collins portrays Ellen, a young woman, poor self-image despite an attractive appearance, artistic talents. Her mother has abandoned her and has moved in with a partner. Her father has remarried but is always very busy (not appearing in the film, avoiding the therapy sessions). His second wife has a teenage daughter – and the two young women are strong friends.

Ellen has gone into community therapy but has responded badly. She has been affected by the suicide of a young woman who was influenced by one of her works of art, the dead girl’s parents sending Ellen pictures.  Ellen seriously blames herself for the death.

Her stepmother, concerned, always talking, anxious, arranges for Ellen to be interviewed by  a renowned specialist – an interesting role, played sympathetically and strongly by Keanu Reeves. Most of the action then takes place within the community, the different young women with their problems and interactions, the regime of the community, therapy sessions, mealtimes which they must attend even if they don’t eat, the various ploys that the young women use to avoid eating or for bringing up their food. There is a young British man, a former ballet dancer now with an injured knee, also part of the community, tending to take charge, befriending Ellen, some great bonding, some clashes.

The family gathers for a for a meeting, the father not turning up, and the doctor noting that except for the young girl, everyone else’s comments tend to be self-focused. The film builds up to a climax, the interactions between the dancer and Ellen, one of the young women being pregnant and having a miscarriage – perhaps influenced by reaction to eating and bringing up the food.

The ending is something of rock bottom, literally in the mountains, for Ellen, but now with her new personal name, Eli, images of herself dying, her actual mother offering to feed her with a bottle just like a child, the interaction of images and reality and her returning for therapy.

1. The title, expectations, the focus on eating disorders, the consequences for those suffering from the disorders, the repercussions for themselves, their families, ways to confront the disorder, individually, in community, family therapy?
2. The affluent background of the family, homes, the mother and her partner in Arizona, their ranch? The centres for therapy? The interiors, rooms? The musical score?
3. Ellen’s story, her mother leaving, the lesbian relationship, Ellen not able to stay with her? Her father marrying again, the influence of her stepmother, anxious and busy, Ellen’s friendship with Kelly, stepsister but sisters? The father and his absence, even from therapy sessions?
4. Ellen her age, her talent, art, the story of the suicide, the upset parents sending pictures to Helen, her blaming herself?
5. The attempts at therapy, communal living, regimes, Ellen’s reaction?
6. The reputation of Dr Beckham, the initial encounter, his straight words, Ellen and her reaction, offhand, returning, the decision to go into the community? The low expectations?
7. The community, the encounter with Luke, British, ballet dancer, injured knee, eating disorder? Her ship is showing her round? His story, friendship? The other members of the group, the girl with the, the bright young woman but hiding her bag under her bed, the pregnant young woman, the members of the staff, Lobo and her management, the woman running the therapy sessions?
8. The mealtimes, Ellen and her reactions, the devices to avoid eating, obligatory presence, but not necessarily eating? The conversations, personal stories? Ellen, interactions with the others, with Luke, the bonding, the merit system and his taking her to the meal, his taunting her with her favourite food, the drinking at the restaurant? The tour, the kiss, her reaction, considering him gay? Building of the friendship?
9. The issue of her name, her change of name to Eli?
10. Family therapy session, her mother and her explanations, her partner, the strong stances? The hostility with the stepmother? Kelly and her offer of sympathy? The absent father?
11. The interviews with Dr Beckham, his understanding, his challenge, straight talking?
12. The pregnant woman, the miscarriage, Luke and Ellen finding her after their dispute, the effect on Eli, her walking out, Luke and his appeal?
13. Going to Arizona, with her mother and partner, the tent, her mother and the issue of feeding her, the bottle, a symbol of maternal reconciliation?
14. Going out on the rocks, desperate, her imagination, seeing herself as dead, imagining Luke helping her? Her decision? The return, the welcome? A hopeful ending – with Eli taking responsibility for her life, some ambitions and achievement?

STUCK IN LOVE

US, 2012, 97 minutes, Colour.

Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Connolly, Lily Collins, Nat Wolff, Kristin Bell, Logan Lerman, Liana Liberato. Voice of Stephen King.

Directed by Josh Boone.

Not to be confused with Stuck on You, 2003, also starring Greg Kinnear.

This is a first feature film from Josh Boone, later to make The Fault in our Stars and The New Mutants.

The film covers different aspects of love and relationships. At the core of the film is the story of celebrated author, Bill (Greg Kinnear), divorced now for three years from Erica (Jennifer Connolly) who is married again. He has not accepted the break. He lives down the street. He stalks his ex-wife, going at night looking at her window. She is aware of this and tries to dissuade him. She also urges him to develop relationships and he has casual sex with a neighbour on her way to collect her daughter from school, played by Kristin Bell who urges him to remarry.

The title then focuses on Bill’s to children. The older is Samantha (Lily Collins), talented author, 19 years old, bitter against her mother and the divorce, refusing to speak to her. She is hard with young men she picks up at bars and has one night stands. She is cynical in her attitudes which are also incorporated into the book she publishes. However, there is a young student in her college class, creative writing, who is attracted to her, speaks to her, she putting him down, he persevering, Louis (Logan Lerman). She is affected by his devotion, goes to his house to discover that his mother is dying of a brain cancer. Her book is launched by Professor with great aplomb, her father invited to speak to the guests and making a strong speech about creative writing, her mother coming from a book signing and her coldly asking her name, Louis urging her to be kinder.

Rusty (Nat Wolff) is the younger son, also a writer, living at home, his father urging him to get out. He does have a school friend they share marijuana. However, is attracted to a young girl in his class, Kate (Liana Liberato), writes a poem about her, recited in class, and beginning a relationship with her which has some good results, some disastrous results.

There is a climax at the book launch, Kate drinking too much champagne, collapsing, combined family going to rescue her – some violence with repercussions for Rusty.

There is a wishful optimism about the resolution of the film, that all could be well. The family reunite at the Thanksgiving dinner, Erica coming home, Samantha with Louis, how things ought to be (which sometimes irks film critics who want tougher, more difficult endings).

And, there is success for Rusty, Samantha sending Stephen King Rusty’s story, Stephen King phoning to say he had sent to a publisher and encouraging Rusty.

1. Title? The different kinds of love and relationships, freely entered into, broken, trapped?
2. An American story, the setting, the town, the beaches, homes, streets, schools, college, libraries, book signings, book functions? The musical score? Songs?
3. Bill at the centre of the film, age, writer, success and reputation, the marriage to Erica, Samantha and Rusty, the breakup of the marriage, the later revelation of his infidelity and Erica’s waiting for him, his stalking Erica, spying on the house, the sexual relationships with Tricia, his being stuck in love for Erica? Expecting her back, setting the place always at Thanksgiving?
4. The focus on Rusty, age, living at home, encouraged to write by his father, supportive of his sister, reclusive, friends at school, marijuana, the focus on Kate, seeing all her with the boyfriends, writing the poem, reading it in class, her favourable comment? The meeting, the conversation, the poem for her, his father urging him to go out, going to the party, observing Kate and the cocaine, the boyfriend, wanting to save her, punching the boyfriend, taking her home, meeting his father, the friendship, the outings, the developing relationship, her sexual experience, going to the cupboard, her Christmas gift?
5. Samantha, anger with her mother, refusing to speak to her, love for her father, supportive of Rusty, coming home, the publishing of the book, her father upset that it was not the book he worked on to with her, his calming down? Samantha, bitter, the casual relationships, picking up in diners? Louis, attracted to her, the conversations, coming back, her cynicism, putting him down? Gradual change, exchange of ideas and favourite books, listening to the CD in the car? Going to his home, discovering his mother, sick, the brain cancer?
6. Bill and Erica, the meetings, the discussions, the reminiscences, at the shopping mall? Erica and her concession? The fact that she had married again?
7. Samantha, the book launch, the professor and the welcoming, inviting Bill to speak, his quoting Raymond Carver, the response of the audience? Samantha bringing Louis? Rusty bringing Kate? Erica, waiting, coming in, the conversations with ? His urging her to speak to Samantha, Samantha’s coldness, signing of the book, asking her identity, Louis and his reaction?
8. Samantha and Kate, the issue of the champagne, the man at the bar, giving the drinks, Kate and further drinks, collapsing, being taken away? The whole group searching for her, finding her, rusty and the assault? Rescuing Kate? The later consequences, Rusty and his friend, the supermarket, the chase and the violence?
9. Bill and Samantha on the beach, his confessing her about his infidelity? A change of attitude, going to her mother?
10. Samantha sending Rusty’s story to Stephen King, Stephen King’s encouraging phone call and the effect on rusty?
11. The Thanksgiving dinner, Erica arriving, the others present?
12. The sentiment the end of the film, love, unstuck, renewed?