Educational Media Reviews Online

Slender Existence, a film produced and narrated by Laura Murray, a recovered anorexic, discusses her year-long battle with the disease. Murray interviews her family members and a friend as they recount the progression of anorexia nervosa that began during her freshman year of high school.

Typically, Murray's downward spiral of dieting and compulsive exercising began when she attempted to become a model and was told she needed to lose weight. After months of debilitating starvation Murray was taken to a pediatric psychiatrist and was prescribed anti-depressants.

The film tends to be an over-simplification of a very complex disease that has biological, social, and psychological factors contributing to it. Murray focuses on the psychological component and how her relentless pursuit of perfection fueled her illness. In addition, the film does not substantially address how the individual or the family is affected by anorexia. Nor is the therapy Murray received, beyond medication, discussed in depth. Murray states throughout the film how ashamed and embarrassed she was by her disease and these feelings transfer to her work as the film has a very guarded feel to it.

The viewer is left with the impression that eating disorders can be easily cured in a short amount of time by simply taking anti-depressants. In actuality, recovery in such a short time span is considered rare.¹ Another issue is that it perpetuates the notion that only over-achieving teenage girls from affluent families suffer from anorexia. Eating disorders do not discriminate and affect women of various ages from different socioeconomic strata. Men, although a minority of cases, can also can have eating disorders. Commentary by a medical professional on the nature and course of anorexia would have been beneficial to fully understand the dynamics of the disease.

In terms of technical value, the film is well produced. Murray often cuts away to chaotic scenes of storm clouds and crowds, symbols of the inner turmoil she experienced. The narration seems to be a little melodramatic, detracting from the seriousness of the subject matter.

Overall, Slender Existence does not represent the intricacy of anorexia nervosa. Students or health care professionals wanting to gain a general understanding of anorexia may not find this useful. It could be used in conjunction with other resources such as Eating Disorders Afflicting Mind, Body & Soul: understanding anorexia, bulimia & binge eating (American Continuing Education Network, Visionary Productions Inc. 1999) to provide a more holistic view of the topic.

Not Recommended

¹Review of General Psychiatry, 5th ed. 2000.