Movie Review: “Someday Melissa”

Good For You Productions
Directed by Jeffry Cobelli
61 minutes

Reviewed by Katelyn Tobey, 15
New York

The documentary Someday Melissa is an informational and eye-opening story. This film is about a girl who, at 19 years old, lost her life. The young woman in the documentary, Melissa Avrin, had an eating disorder and the movie brings awareness about eating disorders, in general, and the way an eating disorder consumed the life of Melissa, specifically. In the documentary, Melissa’s family and friends tell her story and share their point of view on this disorder. For a long time, at first, Melissa’s parents had no idea that their daughter had this disorder.  They had to go to specialists to be convinced that Melissa truly was ill due to an eating disorder.

This movie helps you understand the warning signs and the dangers of having an eating disorder, and their grief. Even though it might be depressing, this movie is a must-see film because it is informative, yet interesting. And it is a film that will help bring awareness to a disorder that is dangerous and potentially deadly, if left untreated.

Melissa was a creative girl with aspirations and goals; she was also a writer. The front cover of the movie box showcases Melissa’s poem “Someday.” In part, the poem, reads: “Someday….. I’ll make my family proud. I’ll make a movie that will change lives.” Even though Melissa did not exactly make this movie, she did inspire and influence many parts of it. So, in a way, Melissa did exactly what she wrote and hoped.  It’s too bad that the price she paid was so high.

After Melissa’s death, Judy Avrin, her mother, formed Someday Melissa, a nonprofit organization established to promote awareness of the dangers of eating disorders so that others have the best chance for recovery.

For more information about the movie Someday Melissa and the associated nonprofit, see: www.somedaymelissa.com