Little Miss Perfect (2016) User Reviews

An Okay Movie, with bad research of eating disorders

[ChrisLFinch · 4/10 · 3 September 2018]

Just to let you know that this movie includes pro ana, bulimia and self harm There were some creepy scenes. It did have some old clichés, such as: Upper-class girl with distant parents and a perfectionist nature. and She Looks at thinspo once and suddenly becomes anorexic. I mean you don't see thinspo once and suddenly put down your pop tart, and things like not really eating for like a week and never binges, that's just not realistic and Is anorexic for just a few months then recovers, its not as easy as that. The fact the she's cured so easily is really bad for people who are watching the Movie for awareness of the disorder. Most people with eating disorders like this usually go their whole lives suffering from it.

The Movie is probably a lot more harmful than helpful. The use of those clichés only furthers society's view of eating disorders, which is also harmful to those who actually suffer from them. I really wished that the writer had done a better job of researching stuff. There is hardly any Movies that talk about eating disorders and tells the truth about them.

I would of liked more character development, There were plot holes - like Belle's mom who disappears with no explanation or resolution, the undeveloped supporting characters are just a few of the issues with the writing. I didn't like that we didn't see much of the Belle's parents either.

I really liked the Movie that was used, In this Movie we have actors the same age as the roles they are playing, and not 18 year old playing 14 year old. I think the acting was really good with what they had to work with.

A movie with no understanding of eating disorders

[marissaghost · 4/10 · 4 January 2021]

The basic plot of this movie could have been something, I will give it that. However, this movie has no character development and it portrays eating disorders as something that happens overnight, with nothing leading up to it. The main character is a girl who is successful in school with great grades, and as soon as her mother leaves she stumbles across a tumblr account promoting anorexia. Suddenly, she develops an eating disorder. This is such a basic and naive outlook that minimizes how complicated eating disorders are. As the movie progresses, every single character loses any amount of integrity that they have and becomes worse. The turning point of this movie is incredibly ridiculous, the main character suddenly recovers because she discovers that it was her "friend" leading her into an eating disorder? One, this is cliche, and two, this isn't how eating disorders work!! You don't become anorexic because someone told you to and stop once you discover who the person was. This movie could have been something, but they failed in ever aspect and clearly did no real research on anorexia before writing the script

Unrealistic and filled with clichés.

[daisyprivate · 2/10 · 1 February 2017]

The acting was awful, but that could have been excused considering the low budget if the movie was actually good. It wasn't. It was filled with all the tired old clichés, such as:

• Upper-class white girl with distant parents and a perfectionist nature. - Looks at thinspo once and suddenly becomes anorexic. - Barely eats for weeks and never binges. - Hallucinates 'ana', the personification of her eating disorder. - Is anorexic for just a few months then recovers.

It's just not realistic. The use of those clichés only further skews society's view of eating disorders, which is harmful to those who actually suffer.

I give it two stars for being kind of entertaining.

Run away from this film! Superficial and doesn't even begin to scrape the surface

[codybarrett-88331 · 1/10 · 18 August 2017]

OK, this film maybe a depiction of a TINY fraction of one or two people people but its very overused and generic, and nowhere near gives the disorder the complexity it deserves. I'm sorry but this is another cliché film - that doesn't go deep enough to raise real awareness - I mean please you don't see thinspo twice and suddenly put down your pop tart, two, these parents are over dramatised cliché of neglectful/self-important, like the other 8 or so ed films I've seen. There is way more going on in a sufferers head than the superficial stuff shown here. I really really don't know how this got nominated and won stuff - other than because it was judged by people who know little about the reality of the disorder. If I wanted someone to understand an eating disorder I would tell them to run from this film. My short maybe small budget and not as large scale but its done a hell of a better job than this in it's feedback - no wonder mental health awareness is all wonky. Either make the awareness film accurately and properly or not at all.

Terrible acting and Clichés

[tlynn-42516 · 1/10 · 19 November 2016]

Warning for parents!

This movie was literally one of the worst movies I have ever seen on eating disorders. It seems to have taken every single cliché about eating disorders and rolled it into one movie.... white girl, perfect student before disease, well to do, 'ana' bracelet, thinspo, etc.

I could maybe get past the horrible acting if it has some semblance of truth to it but in reality it is nothing but stereotypes and probably a lot more harmful than helpful.

In summary its not close to an accurate description of the someone that has an eating disorder. The fact the she's cured so easily is terrible. Most people with this mental disease usually go their whole lives suffering from this.

I wish the director had done a better job of researching and definitely casting better actors. The main actress was awful.

In conclusion, I would not suggest watching this movie to ANYONE but especially children, pre-teens and teenagers.

One of many stories

[kitiloasa · 7/10 · 8 February 2019]

This movie manages to create the atmosphere in which a young girl tries to cope with the realities of life. The scenes of the movie are exaggerated so the viewer might empathize with Anabelle and get mad about her decisions: "Why would she do that? It doesn't help, it just makes her weaker!"

The story does not expand on how Anabelle got hooked into this world, but it seems to be the next step in controlling something, when everything falls out of her control. The pressures of appearing perfect take a great toll on this character and I found the actress did justice to the role.

I've not seen every movie about eating disorders, but I found this one to be interesting enough to see it twice in the span of one year. It nearly touches the surface on awareness, but I think it's well done and suitable for most audiences, since it does not go deep into the disorder hole.

Can it get ANY worse?

[gottaluvlinda · 1/10 · 20 July 2022]

I've only ever written a couple of reviews but I had to write it for this!

This is the worst acting ever EVER seen! Terrible storyline aside, the main actress is absolutely shocking and if I hear just one more word she says go up at the end I'm gonna scream!

Couldn't even make it to halfway thru before I had to pull the plug!

If you want to see eating disorder films done right, there are WAY better examples!

I do NOT understand the ppl who have given this great reviews.... Did you sleep thru it?

It's brutally bad!

Do NOT BOTHER watching this!

Don't waste your time

[secretrelapse · 1/10 · 13 December 2016]

"Little Miss Perfect" aimed to give an unflinching view of a teenage girl's life with Anorexia. It failed miserably. The film relies on shock value, overused tropes and odd makeup and lighting to tell the story of a perfectionist who suddenly develops an eating disorder, spirals downwards, and magically recovers. There are gaping plot holes - a mother who disappears with no explanation or resolution, the sheer unlikelihood of the "twist" (which was easily predicted) actually occurring, and the undeveloped supporting characters are just a few of the issues with the writing. The dialogue was awful and unrealistic, the entire premise is overdone and boring, and the lead actress doesn't understand how to express emotions.

Overall, it was a thorough waste of time and resources. If I could give a "0" out of 10, I would.

Haunting tale of Anorexia

[Falconeer · 8/10 · 1 December 2016]

Because of the subject matter, I was expecting an artless 'Made for TV' cautionary tale on the subject of anorexia. But this is actually a beautifully filmed, completely involving story about a 14 year old girl who discovers an online site that promotes anorexia. Sadly there are such sites on the internet, where anorexics and bulimics can chat with each other, and "support" each others addictions. Annabelle starts to unravel under the pressure of being class President, while maintaining perfect grades. In fact, the girl seems to be obsessed with perfection, and when her mother leaves her and her dad, who seems to have little time for his daughter, Annabelle begins a dark and dangerous online friendship with a girl named Aly. This girl runs a website that promotes the slogan "Thinner is the Winner." Pushing such ideas as "only empty is pure," and "not happy, not sad, just perfect," Annabelle sees this as an alternate way to reach "perfection."

So what makes this movie miles better than some run-of-the-mill Lifetime TV movie? First off, the main actress, Karlee Roberts is mesmerizing as Belle; she has these huge, expressive eyes, and facial expressions that so perfectly translate all the terror and confusion in this girl's life. It's hard to take your eyes off her. She seems so frail that she might just break at any moment, but she continues her charade bravely, with this smile on her face that shows all the fear and confusion behind the mask. Also, the supporting cast is perfect as well; her friends and her boyfriend are all utterly believable as typical 14 year old kids. For once we have actors the same age as the roles they are playing, and not 18 year old's playing 14 year old's. For a film like this, using actors this young makes it so much more intense, and disturbing. Finally I have to mention the technical aspects. This movie is GORGEOUS. Shot in 2;35 widescreen, which is almost unheard of for a film like this, the director somehow achieves this amazing ethereal "glow" throughout the film. It looks like they used this 'vaseline-covered lens' technique that they used in movies from the 30's and 40's. Everything looks dreamy and has a gold tint. The wardrobe department even deserves a mention for the pretty clothes the girls are always wearing.

"Little Miss Perfect" at times borders on horror, when Belle begins to see herself as a kind of monster when she looks in the mirror. For some reason it reminds me of the film "Black Swan." There is even a shocking twist towards the conclusion that had my jaw on the floor. Anyway I'm so happy to have stumbled upon this powerful film, purely by accident. I absolutely recommend this for kids and parents of kids this age. I can't recall a better film on the subject of eating disorders.

Watch for the melodrama

[redpetals · 18 May 2017]

"I'm not dumb enough to starve myself and think that's going to bring my mommy back, or something!"

Eating disorders are controversial. A plot about good girl choosing not to eat than talk about her feelings disappoints in raising the stereotype of eating disorders, but succeeds to show the frustration of someone without an eating disorder who must bear to watch a loved one (or peer) who does. Compelling cinematography, given that our main character is a young, bright, and well-off girl enduring her creeping doom.

Wow

[jellybeanusa · 1/10 · 16 May 2019]

When I first saw this movie I was so excited, I heard good things. While watching it though I was so confused because I felt like I've seen it before. My sister then pointed out that it was basically the "Starving in Suburbia" movie. What a RIP off! I PAID to watch this. Ugh girls save your time. It's nothing new and it's just frustrating

Entertaining at first but not worth your time

[sophiejelliottmay · 2/10 · 21 August 2022]

The plottwist of Lyla being Ally made little sense.

Belle and Lyla seemed to be friends and get along in the start of the movie but towards the end they seem like rivals? Why would Lyla run a pro-ed (pro-eating disorder) blog as a "joke" and didn't expect Belle would take it so seriously and a far as she did? If Lyla didn't have some sort of issue whether an ed or something else, why would she run a blog like that and message girls (ignoring that eds can affect anyone regardless of gender) to starve themselves?

Also it's never really explained why her mom left, what the darkroom is and why she won't come back?

The start of the movie was entertaining and seemed promising, the outfits are cute and the actors actually look like 14 year old highschoolers. The longer the film goes the less entertaining and simply confusing it becomes.

Although it's definetly possible to develop an eating disorder under the circumstances Belle lives in, since ed's are a sort of coping mechanism, an ed in such a severe form is something you wouldn't see after a couple days of looking at pictures of skinny girls on the internet.

Ed's are serious illnesses and stem from serious underlying issues and not like this movie protrays them to be.

A beautifully mastered movie that touches deeply on the society of today

[yourstars · 8/10 · 31 December 2016]

When I first viewed the trailer, I pictured this movie as an amateur take on something very serious, that would gloss over the harsh truth of give a 'feel-good' 'this couldn't happen to you' idea to the viewer. I was very wrong.

This movie, that not only contains beautiful acting from everyone, amazingly crafted dialogue and realistic characters, touches very deeply on a matter that affects so many young girls today.

The movie deeply analyses what might push someone over the edge and that might send them down the rabbit hole, surprisingly gown trying to gain control. The movie not only highlights the dangers, socially, mentally and physically of getting involved with 'thinspiration' posts and 'pro-ana', but also creates a dark atmosphere that creates the question 'could that be me?' or 'could that happen to someone I love?'

It's an overall must watch for anyone any age, but especially for young girls.