The Best Little Girl in the World

Seventeen-year-old Casey is a shy, high-achieving student and aspiring ballet dancer. She excels at school and cheerleading but feels ignored by her busy family. Her dreams of a professional career feel possible, yet distant in the rhythms of everyday life.

Gail's pregnancy draws all the attention, leaving Casey feeling unseen. The parents' conversations and worries center on Gail, not Casey. The atmosphere at home becomes strained, and Casey begins to feel increasingly isolated.

After harassment at the cheerleading audition, Casey clamps onto control by dieting. She starts restricting calories and obsessing over weight. The behavior shifts from a reaction to a fixation that colors her days.

Madame Seuart, her ballet teacher, hints that Casey could excel if she loses a few pounds. The comment ties self-worth to her image and triggers a dangerous path. Casey begins to develop anorexia and bulimia as she pursues 'perfection'.

Over two months, Casey's dieting deepens into a full-blown eating disorder. She becomes thinner, more driven, and increasingly isolated from friends. Her school performance deteriorates as the illness takes priority over everything else.

Gail becomes worried and warns her parents, but their attention remains on Gail. The fights escalate as Casey's condition worsens, while the parents struggle to balance concern with other family dynamics. The tension in the house grows louder and more personal.

Casey meets with a doctor who orders her to start eating normally or face hospitalization. The warning finally brings some pressure from the family to change. Yet Casey hides meals and clings to the secret regimen that sustains her control.

Frank finds Casey's diet pills and tries to force her to eat a proper meal. Casey resists, showing the depth of the conflict in the household. The confrontation underscores the fragility of her resolve.

After feeling ignored at a party, Casey lies about having eaten and faces the consequences. Frank distrusts her even more and makes another attempt to force-feed. The incident widens the rift between Casey and her parents.

Casey tries to steal more pills from a pharmacy and is arrested. Her parents bail her out, but she collapses outside the police station and is taken to the hospital. The hospital becomes the new arena where her struggle for recovery unfolds.

In the hospital, Casey befriends Carol Link, another patient with anorexia and bulimia. Carol shares tips for surviving the ward and negotiating the doctors' scrutiny. Their friendship reveals how vulnerable they both are under pressure.

Casey is crushed when Carol dies from a pill overdose, a moment that intensifies her own fear of death. She runs away again, but collapses a third time. The episode marks a turning point that jolts her toward recovery.

After another collapse, Casey confesses she is afraid to die. Dr. Clay Orlovsky reassures her that recovery is possible if she is honest and commits to change. The talk becomes a turning point in her treatment.

As Casey improves, Dr. Orlovsky explains the family dynamics that contributed to the illness. She realizes she was neglected in favor of Gail, which helped shape her perfectionism and need for control. The insight helps her begin to heal.

Casey is released from the hospital but remains connected to ongoing support with Dr. Orlovsky. She starts to rejoin life, choosing honesty and safety over concealment. The final scene shows her enjoying ice cream, symbolizing renewed appetite and hope.