Union County, Starring Will Poulter, Explores Addiction and Recovery at the 2026 Monmouth Film Festival
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The 2026 Monmouth Film Festival (MFF) will present Union County, a gripping and emotionally charged drama written and directed by Adam Meeks, as part of its 2026 program, screening at Bell Works in Holmdel, NJ on Sunday May 31st at 5:00 PM.
Starring Will Poulter alongside Noah Centineo, Kevin P. Braig and Annette Deao. Union County follows Cody Parsons (Poulter), a young man assigned to a county-mandated drug court program. Cody embarks on the tenuous journey toward recovery amid the opioid epidemic, set against the backdrop of rural Ohio. The film offers an unflinching look at addiction, accountability, and the long, often nonlinear road to redemption.
While Cody navigates the legal system and reckons with his past, the film lays bare the human cost of addiction, impacting not just the individual, but families and entire communities.
Director Adam Meeks stays close to home in his debut feature, setting this recovery story in his hometown. His roots plunge this film to a subterranean depth, operating with an authenticity that gives great dignity to this portrait of a community engaged in profound struggle. Lending gravitas to the cyclical patterns of recovery brings the audience into the quietude and frankness of the battleground with addiction, illuminating the triumphs and failures that unfold daily in the fight to stay alive and the even more audacious struggle to live fully. This groundedness is supported by incredibly deft performances by Will Poulter (Glassland, 2015 Sundance Film Festival) and Noah Centineo. The leads embedded themselves in the community they portray for months and are joined on screen by local nonactors — a uniquely honest approach that illuminates consummately intimate truths.
Its inclusion in the 2026 Monmouth Film Festival highlights the event’s ongoing mission to amplify stories that matter. Highlighting films that not only engage audiences, but also inspire reflection and conversation long after the credits roll.
(Vulture. “Will Poulter Perfected an Ohio Accent for 'Union County' | Sundance 2026.” YouTube, January 26, 2026.)
To follow our program announcements as they’re released & purchase available tickets - visit: https://monmouthfilmfestival.eventive.org/schedule
To view the MFF 2026 Film Lineup, visit:
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