Union County Film Shines Light on Rural Ohio Drug Court

“Union County,” directed by Ohio-born filmmaker Adam Meeks, blends documentary footage with scripted drama to portray the long, uneven journey of addiction recovery. The movie follows fictional brothers Cody and Jack—played by Will Poulter and Noah Centineo—while intercutting real testimonies from participants in Bellefontaine’s Adult Recovery Court. The film opened in select U.S. theaters in mid-August after a winter screening at the Sundance Film Festival.

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For the past decade, the Adult Recovery Court in Bellefontaine has met every Monday to help people exiting the criminal-justice system secure jobs, housing and transportation. Logan County Common Pleas Court Judge Keith Braig chairs the sessions, describing the setting as “not exactly cinematic.” Meeks first visited the court after a family trip to central Ohio and was struck by the “empathy and humanity” he observed. He spent years building relationships with court staff and participants, including administrator Annette Deao, who also appears as herself.

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• Keith Braig — Logan County Common Pleas Court Judge; leads the Adult Recovery Court.

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• Adam Meeks — Filmmaker and director; created the hybrid documentary-fiction project.

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• Annette Deao — Court administrator; appears in the film and advocates against stigma toward people with substance-use disorders.

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• Will Poulter — Actor portraying fictional participant Cody.

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• Noah Centineo — Actor portraying fictional participant Jack.

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Meeks explained that the film’s deliberate pacing mirrors the day-to-day reality of recovery and hopes the portrayal will shift perceptions of rural Ohio from “bleak to blossoming,” showcasing the region’s beauty and the dignity of its residents.

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• “It shows so much dignity for the people in recovery,” — Annette Deao, like court administrator

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