By Grounded in a lived-in addict experience, Union County, written and directed by Adam Meeks, is a stripped-down recovery drama anchored by a soft-spoken, quietly emotive performance from Will Poulter. Set in rural Ohio, where the opioid epidemic has left deep scars, Meeks draws from personal history, using his own hometown of Bellefontaine to portray the far-reaching impact of addiction not just on individuals, but on the systems meant to help them. Supportive judges, rehab-over-jail programs, and small-town efforts form the fragile infrastructure holding it all together.
Cody (Poulter) is enrolled in a state-mandated substance abuse program. Between court appearances, he’s expected to follow a strict set of rules. Break them, and it’s off to prison. But there aren’t enough beds at the sober living house or men’s shelter, so he’s living out of his car. Things get more complicated when he’s paired with his foster brother Jack (Noah Centineo), whom Cody introduced to heroin years ago, for work. The two prove to be terrible influences on each other, derailing whatever momentum their recovery had.
The film uses a large number of non-actors, participants from the 2025 Adult Recovery Court, who share their stories, hardships, and winding roads to sobriety. It’s a choice that gives Union County its tactile, grounded feel; we feel like we’re right there with them. But there’s not a ton of novelty. Their stories are familiar by design. The realism is convincing, yes, but also muted. It’s too restrained to leave much of a mark. Then again, recovery isn’t cinematic. It’s nights spent resisting the urge, muted victories, dull repetitions. So too is relapse just as predictable and unspectacular. What we’re left with is the quietly devastating truth. Some people claw their way back to life. Others don’t make it.
CONCLUSION: ‘Union County’ is an observant drama about the victims of addiction and the grueling road to recovery. It admirably focuses on the people behind the statistics. But despite a strong Will Poulter performance, the film itself remains somewhat flat, more document than drama.
C+
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The post Sundance ‘26: ‘UNION COUNTY’ A Maybe Too-Authentic Portrait of Addiction and Rehabilitation appeared first on Silver Screen Riot.
