Will Poulter and Noah Centineo were both part of the ensemble cast of Alex Garland’s Warfare — one of our favorite movies of 2025 — and now they’ve reunited for a different story that sounds harrowing all the same. Union County immerses its stars into a real-life drug court program in Ohio to take an unblinking look at opioid addiction. After premiering at Sundance earlier this year, the film has accumulated a 95% Rotten Tomatoes score ahead of its release on the 2026 movie calendar. So what do the reviews say?
Union County stars Will Poulter as Cody Parsons and Noah Centineo as his foster brother Jack. They’re surrounded by nonprofessional actors, including recovery liaison Annett Deao playing herself, who have actually gone through the program and share their personal stories. That authenticity is a big reason the movie is connecting with Rotten Tomatoes critics. Katie Rife of IndieWire gives it a B in her review, writing:
Union County doesn’t completely bypass addiction-drama clichés. But its detailed, humanistic approach successfully creates a realistic world that supports its muted storytelling. In Union County, characters relapse and crash cars and strain relationships with loved ones to their breaking points. But these events unfold with minimal theatrics — the film’s most shocking development takes place entirely off-screen — as Meeks chooses instead to focus on their aftermath, bathing it in the cool blue light of early morning.
Chase Hutchinson of The Wrap commends Noah Centineo and Will Poulter’s performances, as well as Adam Meeks’ writing and direction. Union County is most impactful when it feels more like a documentary, giving us a glimpse into the lives of people our world often looks away from. Hutchinson says:
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A film of deep compassion and crushing pain, it looks a broken America squarely in the face. It doesn’t provide easy answers for people working to heal, as they already know none exist, and instead provides a more restrained yet no less riveting reflection on how people are working to build a better world for themselves and others.
David Rooney of THR says the film is “low-key to a fault, but bristles with authenticity.” It’s a bleak look at opiate addiction, but Adam Meeks handles it with skill, care and empathy. Rooney’s Union County review also praises the lead actors, as he writes:
The movie’s chief strength is the lead actors. Centineo plays a good-time dude all of us have encountered at some point, and while he’s a frustrating figure, he’s also a moving case study whose failings are a pattern he’s unable to break — or perhaps doesn’t want to. Cody feels things more deeply even if he tends to keep them inside. Still trying to find atonement for past mistakes, he occasionally messes up and is forced to start almost from scratch again, with a sense of shame that Brit actor Poulter conveys with infinite sadness.
Ema Sasic of Next Best Picture rates it a 6 out of 10, also praising Will Poulter’s “nuanced” performance that handles the subject matter with care and respect. His character is soft-spoken and doesn’t say much, but Poulter breathes such life into Cody that we’re able to understand so much about him. Sasic continues:
While we’ve seen plenty of recovery stories on the big screen in the past, Union County stands apart with its sincerity. This isn’t a film that has a ‘big scene’ or earth-shattering performances, which, in fairness, won’t keep everyone interested. But by showcasing how each day comes something new to overcome and incorporating real-life elements, Meeks and Poulter deliver something poignant and thoughtful for audiences.
Adam Courtliff of InSession Film agrees with the above critics, calling Will Poulter’s performance “impeccable.” There are some incredibly difficult scenes to watch, Courtliff says, especially for anyone who’s experienced or witnessed an addiction journey. It stays true to its message throughout, offering no easy solutions or a big Hollywood ending. His review reads:
Movies about addiction and recovery aren’t exactly a new premise, but Union County highlights just how vital they still are by raising much needed awareness and questioning whether the current systems in place truly do enough to support those most affected. To the film’s credit, it doesn’t shy away from depicting the many hurdles and setbacks individuals face, while also showcasing the opportunities available to them in their moments of need. It achieves this by following a real-life program with real participants in Ohio, offering an immensely poignant and effective look at the path to recovery.
With a 95% Rotten Tomatoes score ahead of its opening, Union County has definitely gotten the attention of critics. Will Poulter is getting a lot of praise for his role, as is Noah Centineo. It doesn’t necessarily sound like an easy watch, but it’s sure to strike an emotional chord. Union County hits theaters on Friday, August 14.
