'Union County' Stirs Compassion for Addiction Rehabilitation in Rural Ohio
- Emma Erion
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
If you had a neighbor whose child got hurt playing soccer, or who was chronically ill and spending weeks at the hospital, you might go over and give them a casserole. Would you do the same for your neighbor whose child was in a drug rehab program?
This analogy from actress Annette Deao highlights the importance of extending compassion and care to addicts just as we would for anyone else who is struggling, which is a key theme of Adam Meeks’ feature debut, Union County. The opioid epidemic has hit Southeast Ohio and the greater Appalachian region particularly hard. Widespread economic challenges, weak infrastructure and enduring community traumas have contributed to high overdose rates in many counties in this region, well surpassing the state average. Many of these cases involve illicit fentanyl.
This week, I attended a Q&A screening of the film in Cincinnati that featured director Meeks, actor Will Poulter and Logan County Adult Recovery Court Judge Kevin Braig. Their discussions of the film made it abundantly clear that this is not a movie about the drama of addiction, but rather the power of community.
Union County follows Cody Parsons (Poulter) on his journey through an adult recovery court program in Bellefontaine, Ohio. Poulter is unrecognizable in the role, completely disappearing into the character of a young man struggling with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) while pitted against unstable living conditions and environmental challenges.
Other members of the rehabilitation program featured in the movie are real-life participants, grounding the film as one of the most emotionally moving, reverent and real explorations of addiction I’ve seen put to film. Poulter and Meeks detailed the importance of breaking down their own preconceived notions about folks with SUD, especially in rural parts of the U.S. Poulter specifically highlighted how important it was for him to get to know the area and his comrades, working to avoid the “parachute journalism” that so frequently occurs within the Appalachian region.
As someone who attended Ohio University in Athens (as did Judge Braig), I frequently came across stories that portrayed the region in ways that someone who lacked ties to it would: an area full of hillbilly-esque caricatures plagued by addiction and poverty. By telling this story alongside the community itself, Union County steers clear of harmful stereotypes and showcases the reality of Southeast Ohio, an area filled with more love, creativity and passion than anywhere else I’ve ever known.
Shortly after we’re introduced to Cody, we meet his foster brother Jack Parsons (Noah Centineo) whose lively, reckless spirit provides a foil to Cody’s more reserved, steady nature. It’s made clear that Jack has strayed from the path to recovery before, as the recovery court judge mentions his recently failed drug screen and unpaid fines, which Jack brushes off with a shrug.
The last thing I remember seeing Noah Centineo in is To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018), a teeny-bopper Netflix rom-com that I secretly watched on my IPad in the back of my high school English class. This film is a clear delineation from that, and to my honest surprise, Centineo is an absolute standout. His erratic energy is contrasted by his clear care for Cody and his sister Katrina (Emily Meade), his face and tone transforming when in their company. Jack’s instability proves detrimental to Cody’s recovery, as the two spending time together ultimately leads to them using again. When Jack is found passed out on the floor of his sober living home and sent to an intensive treatment facility, Cody receives the now-available room.
Things start looking up for Cody after this. He attends more meetings, working through the trauma that led him to use opiates, apologizing to his sister and befriending Anna (Elise Kibler), a peer-support leader at the adjacent woman’s sober living home. He’s eventually recommended to be moved to Phase 2 of the recovery program, where we see a true shift in his demeanor.
Cody gets a haircut, is shown casually chatting with other participants, and begins to hold eye contact as he’s having conversations with those around him. This was an intentional choice highlighted by Poulter and Meeks, signifying the intense shift that occurs when someone starts feeling confident in themselves and their ability to reach recovery.Moments after being told the news about Phase 2 of the program, Cody receives a call informing him that Jack has overdosed.
That night, Cody drives to his dealer’s house. He calls Annette (a real-life counselor for the adult recovery court program, who made an excellent show of her four years of acting school with her impressive performance), and she stays on the phone with him the entire night, helping Cody refrain from using again. He returns home, where Anna wraps him in an embrace after receiving the news about Jack herself.
Cody is moved up to Phase 2 of the program after reading an emotional letter. It ends:
“Jack should be here with me.”
Union County is raw. It spotlights the harsh realities of addiction that can often be difficult to confront when devising solutions for those affected by it. And yet, it’s hopeful. The community that Cody finds during his darkest days captures the true essence of what Southeast Ohio is, and drives home how far just a little compassion can go.
Union County is showing in limited release as of August 14.
-Emma
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