The patients at the Renfrew facility in Florida are awakened at dawn for weigh-ins and tests of their vital signs. The staff can tell whether they’ve “purged” overnight by checking blood pressure.
The anorexic and bulimic young women with proudly protruding shoulder blades, spinal columns and elbows sit through strictly monitored meals, daily therapy sessions and group “community” discussions.
Their various obsessions with food, self-image and weight become clear. One went from compulsive over-eating in childhood to the bulimic cycle of binging and purging as a teen. Another describes her fast-food binge-purge cycles in alarming detail, noting they resulted in multiple hospitalizations.
A third, sunk in depression and aware that she is somehow competing with her twin sister, says weakly, “I used to have a personality.”
All of these women acknowledge that the desperate drive to be thin has overtaken their lives. They have been told by professionals that one in seven women with anorexia dies of the illness. But being thin is what they are about: “If it takes dying to get there, so be it.”
“Thin,” a powerful documentary by filmmaker/photographer Lauren Greenfield, premieres Tuesday at 7 p.m. on HBO.
The film follows four young women at the 40-bed Renfrew Center for the treatment of eating disorders in Coconut Creek, Fla.
Brittany, 15, is a former “fat” kid who has struggled with eating disorders since age 8. Shelly, 25, is a nurse who has battled anorexia for six years, and who enters Renfrew with a feeding tube surgically implanted in her stomach. Alisa, 30, is a divorced mother of two who arrives at Renfrew following five hospital stays in three months. She has no interest in recovery. The most dynamic and disruptive is Polly, 29, who has spent years in and out of treatment.
Greenfield gained remarkable access to these women and their stories, living at the facility for six months. The camera is unobtrusive as it chronicles tense therapy sessions, tearful mealtimes and revolting bathroom practices, examining personally abusive habits without compromise. Some of the patients get better; some sabotage their recovery; and one is documented doing well until her insurance runs out.
Credit Greenfield, producer R.J. Cutler (“The War Room”) and the network with making the film part of an educational campaign to reach out to schools nationally to shine a light on eating disorders.
The bunny is back
From sobering to ridiculous, the adult cartoon starring the funny bunny is back.
“Greg the Bunny” returns for a second season on IFC and, naturally, the parody of a kids’ puppet show mixed with live action – combined with movie parodies – is one politically incorrect, foul-mouthed and idiotic sendup after the next. Jabs at the Fox network, where the series debuted in 2002 and was yanked too soon, are particularly chuckle-worthy.
This season begins with Wumpas the Monster, who bears a striking similarity to a certain Cookie Monster. In this scenario, Wumpas is mentally challenged, desperate to be liked by Greg – and violent. It’s outrageous, with an appearance by Gilbert Gottfried.
The episode “Blue Velveteen,” (the title alone is priceless) features parodies of “Dune,” “The Mask,” “The Elephant Man,” “Blue Velvet,” “Twin Peaks” and David Lynch in general. Crazy funny. And – did we mention? – not for kids.
Cliffhanging serials
Interrupted serials are leaving viewers hanging this season. Some network brass think the solution is on the Internet where, unlike primetime television, there is unlimited shelf space. NBC’s “Kidnapped,” yanked off the air after five episodes, continues online. The remaining eight hours are available at nbc.com.
This week, CBS announced it will end the “fall season” of “Jericho” with a cliffhanger on Nov. 29, returning it to the schedule in February. During the 10- week hiatus, original content, recaps and previews will be posted online. At least “Jericho,” the nuclear apocalypse drama, got a full season pickup.
Three unaired episodes of CW’s canceled “Runaway” will show up “somewhere,” a CW spokeswoman said, but it’s unclear whether on TV, online or even in DVD form.
TV critic Joanne Ostrow can be reached at 303-954-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com.
