For the Love of Nancy (1994 TV Movie) User Reviews

Its me...Nancy Walsh...totally misrepresented!

[wonderwomn · 5/10 · 6 December 2006]

I couldn't help but comment on my own movie story due to the ignorant and very upsetting comment I just read..So many years I thought that my movie would do others good since I became anorexic in the early 90's (not the 70's like the last person stated). However even in the 90's no one really talked about it or new much about it for that matter, even myself. Even while it was happening I didn't know. The movie idea was presented to me and I decided to go with it since it was the only way I new how to reach out to people, and it wasn't for money because I didn't get barely anything and no royalties. SO get that idea out of your head. From most feedback it unfortunately did more harm than good. I hear a lot about it being a poor movie, but to go into medical detail in the movie would bore anyone out of watching it anyway so they did the best they could with it by keeping it light but informative. It definitely did NOT go into detail or show the horror of it. It was definitely not a detailed informative movie. It was just to bring awareness to society and show one woman's struggle. It was a horrific and still is a nightmare I cannot get out of my head. There is no relief and no cure. I am a healthy woman and a mother of 2 beautiful children now who will hopefully never follow in my footsteps. God bless them! Its a constant struggle but my children help me get through every day when I look at their little faces. Anyway, I was NOT babied all my life I was, and still am the most independent woman you will ever meet. Also YES my parents did take me to court for medical guardianship to save my life. I was 18 and made my own dumb decisions at that age. That is what saved my life. I saw my dad crying in the courtroom (which I had never seen my dad cry in my life). At that point I said WOW look how much he really does love me. That was what it took, I guess to feel the love is what made me start to help myself. GOd bless anyone who is reading this that is in need of help. It is the hardest thing you will ever go through!

Good example of Lifetime rules of moviemaking

[Uthman · 5/10 · 23 January 2002]

This movie does genuinely pull on the heartstrings of any

family-oriented person without descending into two-hanky land,

but I recommend it especially for study of the technical points that

comprise the Lifetime Network canon of film making. Note the soft

pastels, the bright but gauzy backlighting in every scene, the

sumptuous but pointedly unoffending set decoration, and the

feminine-but-somewhat-retro hairstyles of the female characters.

These films provide an experience as reliable as attending mass.

The main character, played by Tracy Gold, is _very_ thin, so I can

believe that she has had problems with anorexia nervosa in real

life. In addition to her rather disturbing physique, the makeup

artists have done a fine job in making her face change in

accordance with the varying severity of her condition. The ending of

the film is uplifting; if only real cases like this should end so well.

Rating: 5/10

Kudos to Tracey Gold.....who obviously

[MarieGabrielle · 9/10 · 1 December 2005]

took a risk with this movie. Dealing with this issue is complex, and even posters here have critiqued her for "looking healthy". Since this is true to her own story, I feel this is a very important point; why is it still so acceptable that Kate Moss, for example, is the female ideal, and Delta Burke is not??? (rhetorical question) The Lifetime Movie is done very well, in that it may be slow at times, but shows Nancy's increasing alienation from her friends. Jill Clayburgh is quite believable as the mother, and William Devane seems very sensitive; blames himself, as the father.

Primarily, this is a good "message" movie, which I think is one of Lifetime's strong points; while you may not have a "masterpiece"; you have an excellent TV film that people watch; with the current system of healthcare in crisis; this may be the best psychotherapy most Americans can get for psychological issues. If you have a child struggling with these issues, or are curious, it is definitely worth watching. Another similar film I would highly recommend is "Hunger Point", with Barbara Hershey; a film that deals with similar issues in a sensitive way.

This is a great movie

[KateJulia18 · 24 May 2003]

I saw this movie in school and thought it was fantastic and a great message to people who have struggled or are struggling through anorexia nervosa. I think Tracey Gold is a great actress and she did excellent in this role since she is a recovered anorexic. I think this is a movie everyone should enjoy and i have heard that people think this movie leads people to become anorexic, but i don't think that's true. Tracey Gold sent off a good message by doing this movie.

Where was the reality to this movie?

[jenny_bear82 · 2/10 · 15 April 2006]

I was reading some of the other user comments. I do agree with some of them. No offense, but to be honest, I thought the movie was kind of deep but usually a lot of drama movies are. But I thought this movie was based on *Tracey's* life, so it should of been called For The Love Of Tracey!, Not Nancy. My next opinion is if they made this movie for someone's *real* life, why did it seem fake? One of the other comments from another user mentioned about the character going to the prom, having the best night of her life, eating the pizza, then getting her wisdom teeth yanked the next day. Yes, it is an excuse to not eat. I mean, I watched, on the movie where it has been a month she had gotten them yank and her teeth STILL bothers so her so doesn't want to eat that lasagna that her mom made. Then they argued about the character Nancy, played by Tracey Gold for wanting her to share a dorm room but Nancy wants her space. Of course everyone wants their space. I know I want my space, but it was another way of Nancy can starve herself and no one will know about it.

My 3rd opinion, was Tracey Gold asked to relapse on her anorexia to play for the movie or did she decide to do it on her own? I mean, I thought she was getting help but the same time the movie came out, instead, she did look thinner.

I was also reading another user comment, where it said about Nancy's mom being clueless as it comes. Well I agree there, her mom never really talks to Nancy about anything. And when someone else mention Nancy has a problem, the mother is in denial until Nancy weighs about 90 pounds when she is near death and can't stop doing what she is doing. Also, another one I read, why would some kind of parents take their daughter to court to get her to eat? Almost like going against her instead of backing her up and being there for her. Also seemed like the first time, Nancy didn't want to get better the first time she was in the hospital, but all of a sudden she gets better after she gets home from court. My strongest opinion is that, Tracey's eating disorder was a long battle, and Nancy's eating disorder sounded more like a stage. So to me, it was not about Tracey's life even 5% of it wasn't as they said it was.

wonderful, inspiring movie

[radigurl · 8/10 · 26 January 2006]

When I first saw this movie, I myself was anorexic, so it definitely made an impression on me. Tracy Gold is a wonderful actress in general, but in this movie especially, really bringing to life the struggles that Nancy goes through. There are parts in the movie where I was close to tears, not just because it hit close to home, but because of the realism and the way the story was portrayed. Most Lifetime movies that I've seem are pretty good at sending out a positive message, and this one is no exception. I would definitely recommend this movie to my friends, to anyone wanting to see a realistic movie about eating disorders, and to anyone who is interested in this true story genre.

Excellent movie dealing with a difficult subject!

[lazydazy1pm · 9/10 · 30 July 2006]

I really liked this movie because not only was it so true to life but also this is an issue that a lot of people don't understand and i feel that tracey gold did a very good job at portraying a young woman who's deep rooted insecurities cause her to nearly kill herself by self induced starvation and i think that anorexia nervosa is a very serious and deadly psychiatric condition that claims many lives and also the fact that tracey herself brought her own life experiences as a recovering anorexic into the role was what made the movie even more commendable. Eating disorders are an epidemic across the country and i would really like to see more movies and people maybe trying to raise awareness on how serious and life threatening these types of disorders can be and movies like this are a step towards making people more aware of the seriousness and harsh reality of what having an eating disorder is really like!

A powerful drama

[arlene_mcginness · 28 June 2004]

I found this film very powerful, particularly as it was based on a true story. Some of the other comments made about it were inaccurate and I felt the need to correct them. Someone said that Nancy wouldn't have eaten pizza hours before getting her teeth pulled; but Nancy's brother clearly said their mother had made the appointment - Nancy didn't know about it until after she got home from the prom. It didn't explain why wisdom teeth got pulled - did they have to explain every insignificant detail? Many people get them pulled because they are growing in wrong and painfully. Tracey Gold chose to play the role - no one forced her to. And her performance was convincing, probably more so because of her own anorexia. It showed one line dance during the prom - maybe it was something the students did as a fun change; like when Whigfield's Saturday Night came out and you couldn't go to any disco without it being played. A lot of people like to have a dance routine to follow, so a line dance makes sense. A lot of people, including parents, don't see the signs that someone they love has an eating disorder, especially if they believe the person to be happy. Also, this episode happened in the 70s when there wasn't nearly as much exposure about anorexia. i doubt the movie was made to 'help people out'; more likely someone saw the potential in it, or perhaps they were moved by the story and wanted to make their own version of it. I assume Nancy Walsh really was taken to court by her parents, as the film is based on a true story. This is not unbelievable; similar things have happened. Someone blamed the film for their weight gain - I seriously hope they were joking as this is the flimsiest excuse I've heard yet. 'Nancy is a very grating character who screams and throws fits' - has this person ever dealt with an anorexic person? Their eating disorder is the one thing that matters to them - wouldn't you have a hissy fit if everyone you knew was determined to take away the one thing that mattered to you? 'never truly explains why she has this disease' - the basic explanation was given: Nancy had been babied all her life, was emotionally dependent on her mother and couldn't face being separated from her family, not to mention the responsibility of being an adult. Eating disorders are complex; often there are no easy explanations. Of course everyone has different views on films, and not everyone likes the same ones. But maybe people should get their facts straight before shooting their mouth off.

excellent

[calif21 · 10/10 · 21 March 2003]

I think that this movie did a really good job of getting across the message about how serious anorexia really is. It is one of the best movies about eating disorders that I have ever seen. Most of the movies are not life like at all. This movie did a great job of not giving away tips to anorexics watching it.

One of my favorites

[myfaithlasts · 8/10 · 24 September 2023]

When this movie came out I was severely anorexic and in college. I wanted so bad to have a family that cared about me enough to try to save my life. I remember how well I related to the sadness and the fears Nancy had. I have watched this movie several times over the years and it still brings back powerful emotions. I thought a lot about brave Nancy was at the end to go ahead and agree to the medical guardianship. I wanted so bad to have something like that happen for me so I had an excuse to be made to go to treatment because I knew I would never go on my own. It took almost 30 years of dealing with anorexia to finally get better. I hope the real Nancy Walsh is still doing well.

Memorable Movie!

[rcbigger · 10/10 · 16 May 2020]

It was roughly 1995 and our 6th grade class was required to watch this film. Very inspirational! Thank you.

An interesting and educational made-for-TV drama

[stargirlrk · 10 May 2003]

I originally watched this film in Health class while studying eating disorders and other self-image diseases and I thought that it would never be very good. But it is pretty good, especially for a Lifetime channel made-for-TV movie. It is about a young girl named Nancy who becomes anorexic to the point where she is running nearly all day and disposes of food given to her by her watchful mother by hiding it under her bed and even knocking out a hole in the wall to dump food into. This film was full of drama and showed the damage that anorexia nervosa can do not only to the person infected with it, but to the victim's family (Nancy almost died). This was good and I recommend it to anyone. But if you or anyone in your family has been anorexic you should stay away, as it is sure to bring back bad memories. Feel free to email me with any questions or comments.

Very accurate portrayal of eating disorders!

[marchsunshine-84855 · 10/10 · 18 November 2017]

As someone who has personally suffered from anorexia, I have to say that this movie is spot on! I would recommend it to anyone who wants to be more educated on eating disorder behavior, that way they know what signs to look for. It may not be as high tech or entertaining as movies today, but the message is extremely important! Excellent movie!

Have you ever felt it?

[lourensini · 9/10 · 20 April 2012]

If you don't have (I hope you don't) or Haven't had it in the past, hold your tongue when criticizing the fidelity this movie has with the disease. Except if your a psychologist.

For The Love of Nancy represents exactly the disease's life picture. Nothing to take away, and nothing to put in. How do I know that? I have had an anorexia principle in the past, I could be able to push myself out of it by myself, but I know what the next step with the disease I was about to give.

Along with the movie, you'll face and amazing interpretation of all characters. Even those who barely appears in 30 seconds scene. But for the family, emphasis on Tracey Gold (not always the main character is as good as the others). She could really drags you in her persona, makes you understand the question, the feeling.

At the beginning you'll not understand what made her feel that way. I haven't either. But after watch the movie, everything began to make sense (and another review already explained that). It's all about "control". The people's desire to obtain control of everything that surround them/us. Then if you can't control your life changing, you'll eventually start controlling what's left at your choice and people around you. That happens because we humans work in "compensation mode" all the time, and For The Love Of Nancy reach this point, but just after it's middle. Just try to watch it with patience, let the story flow and if you have a little bit of "human mind operational sense" you can understand why things happen the way they happen.

I honestly believe the only thing For the Love of Nancy missed out was a proper soundtrack. You can barely hear a song along the movie. On the other hand, there is a god writing. But no soundtrack.

Since I've found just one thing this expressive movie missed out. I'm oblige to give an 9. I almost never rate a movie 9.

i know! let's get a dead guy to play the dead guy!!!

[dreba · 30 March 2003]

i'm sure it was very difficult for tracey gold to act in what was a story that mirrored her own life, but i do think it was kind of sick to get an anorexic to play an anorexic. some people might argue that it was therapeutic for her, but once an anorexic, always an anorexic. it's like being an alcoholic; you're never cured.

the parents are portrayed as clueless, especially the mother. jill clayburg manages to take the character and make her unsymapthetic, annoying, bossy, and whiny all at the same time. if she were my mother, i'd skip a slow death and swallow some poison instead. william devane gives a solid performance as always, as does mark-paul goselaar. he plays the role of the caring brother very convincingly. the other brother, the "food cop" could have been played by a cardboard cutout and it would have had a larger range of emotions.

all-in-all, pretty run-of-the-mill lifetime fodder. watch it if only to count how many times somebody tells tracey gold to eat. (i lost count.)

This Is Really Good!

[famousgir1 · 22 December 2001]

For The Love Of Nancy is the true story of Nancy Walsh, a young girl who's so obsessed with her weight that she becomes anorexic. Tracey Gold plays the role of Nancy and she gives a great performance. The brilliant Mark-Paul Gosselaar also gives a great performance here as Nancy's brother. For The Love Of Nancy is a really good and interesting true-story which I recommend to everyone.

Tracey Gold, you deserved better than this!

[Monika-5 · 5 March 2002]

Boasting more plot holes than your average piece of Swiss cheese, this was Tracey Gold's first major role after recovering from anorexia. I highly doubt anyone's parents would take their anorexic daughter to court, no matter what the feelings involved were. Jill Clayburgh wails and wrings her hands, William Devane's big scene involves throwing a bowl on the floor, and Cameron Bancroft and Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Gold's brothers deliver acting performances with all the depth of Jello. Gold, of course, fares better than everyone and her own experiences truly shed light upon her character's struggles, but the featherweight scripts and hammy "supporting acting" let her down. Maybe this would have worked better as an ABC After School Special.

Marked psychosocial changes occur during adolescence. Answer: (Eat more Lettuce!)

[ryan-158 · 9 August 2000]

Paul Schneider's meager attempt direct a film about a debilitating Physical and Psychological disorder. However, Nancy played by Tracy Gold did an excellent portrayal of an adolescent sufferer. Disapointments: Mom Walsh's annoying voice. Played by the type-cast LifeTime original Jill Clayburgh. By far William Devane's best performance since his latest swimming role in Hollow Man. His classic lines: "Lettuce is nothing......You're a bag of bones" These lines lead to my own eating disorder. Since, watching this film I cannot stomach any type of Lettuce (Iceburg, Romaine etc.). It changed the way I look at the salad bar. I have gained 87 lbs. since viewing the film. I cannot stop eating meat. I am however, looking forward to watching another Paul Schneider work of art. This time it's the 1994 ROSEANNE: AN UNAUTHORIZED BIOGRAPHY. I have a feeling that film will have me grazing the salad bars like a cow.

Nancy was fat.

[carmex · 8 December 2004]

FOR THE LOVE OF NANCY is your typical Lifetime movie. You know the kind, it's drawn out with very little plot, and it's all summed up under two hours. The acting was dry. The plot was uninteresting. Tracy Gold, although an anorexic in her real life, simply did not capture the darkness and despair of an authentic anorexic.

Tracy was quite large for the part she was playing. I do not blame the badness of the movie on that, because I would not want her to starve in order to play this part. It's just, it was hard to sympathies with the character of Nancy when she was crying about her eating disorder when she was clearly at a healthy weight.

Also, following suit of a badly made Lifetime movie, she sure "caught" anorexia fast and "healed" in the speed of light. Anyone who knows anything about eating disorders knows that not only do you not just wake up one day starving yourself to death, you also do not admit you have a problem and immediately become well and go back to normal.

If you have nothing else to do, you could watch FOR THE LOVE OF NANCY, I suppose. Only, I suggest you have some pizza to occupy your attention during this melodrama mess.