The men featured in the photo series attended the farming-based rehab center and are the subjects of the 2018 feature-length documentary "Recovery Boys," directed by Academy Award nominee and West Virginia native Elaine McMillion Sheldon. These four men try to reinvent their lives, mend broken relationships, and navigate all of the ups and downs that come with recovery. analyse how our Sites are used. Watch all you want. Sheldon told The New York Times that she'd become frustrated with the "othering" that happened to the addicts in her state and wanted to create a more nuanced portrayal of West Virginia's opioid struggle. And it turned out it was Jacobs Ladder.. But thats back home; at Jacobs Ladder, a rehab facility just outside of Aurora, West Virginia, hes joined by Rush, a self-confessed expert in feigning recovery in similar programs; Adam, who funded his habits mostly through pinching his old grandmothers savings; and Ryan, an oddly introspective and thoughtful young man who quotes from books and ponders the nature of love. Recovery Boys, directed by Elaine McMillion Sheldon, is a somber, often devastating chronicle of a group of young men in a rehab facility trying to reach the metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel. According to some relevant factoids deployed at the end of Netflixs new original documentary, 90% of Americans who need help recovering from drug addiction dont get it. .wsite-product .wsite-product-price a {} In the heart of America's opioid epidemic, four men attempt to reinvent their lives and reenter society sober after years of drug abuse. .wsite-elements.wsite-not-footer:not(.wsite-header-elements) h2, .wsite-elements.wsite-not-footer:not(.wsite-header-elements) .product-long .product-title, .wsite-elements.wsite-not-footer:not(.wsite-header-elements) .product-large .product-title, .wsite-elements.wsite-not-footer:not(.wsite-header-elements) .product-small .product-title, #wsite-content h2, #wsite-content .product-long .product-title, #wsite-content .product-large .product-title, #wsite-content .product-small .product-title, .blog-sidebar h2 {font-family:"Raleway" !important;} The film changes the narrative from destitute people injecting drugs in a run-down apartment block or crumbling rural shack and instead nestles recovering drug users among frolicking pigs and chickens, providing a much-needed antidote to the barrage of depressing stories about the countrys opioid crisis. The documentary shows the realities of addiction for both the men struggling with addiction and of their relatives. Valued on the farm are hard work and dedication and a sobering insistence that feeding baby lambs bottles of milk is only a mini-vacation from the chaos of life. Copyright 2021 Ready Steady Cut. Jacobs Ladder at Brookside Farm is a six-month residential addiction recovery program started almost three years ago in response to the growing health crisis facing our nation and in particular my home, West Virginia. Recovery Boys Netflix documentary on addiction recovery is out. //--> Sutton, Jeff, and Rush take a smoke break on a bench outside of the residential facility. function initFlyouts(){ In 2014 an immediate family crisis with addiction brought Kevin face-to-face with the significant issue of this growing epidemic and the lack of recovery options throughout our country. #wsite-title {} Their rehab probably isn't what you picture when you think of that word, though. Recovery Boy - I am a young recovering alcoholic, this is my blog - Instagram @recoveryboyblog A little bit of my story Featured 'It's 5:30am on a Wednesday morning as I wake. })(); .wslide-caption-text {} Set in the middle of this crisis, the film provides an exploration of male emotions will be refreshing to anyone who has grown accustomed to staid representations within popular culture, as will the films focus on people in recovery instead of people suffering from addiction. Routine. And it turned out it was Jacobs Ladder., In addition to highlighting the benefits of a program like Jacob's Ladder, though, Recovery Boys also shows how difficult life for a former addict can be once rehab ends. The strongest point of Recovery Boys is the acknowledgment that the path to the greatest temptations winds through lifes most mundane realities. Dave and Adam enter the barn to begin predawn farm chores. The Utterbacks work closely with the young men in the farming portion of the recovery program. I fear for Adam & Jeff. The henhouse is moved regularly in order to fertilize the farmland and maintain healthy soil. You can also change your preferences at any time by clicking on Cookie Preferences in the footer of each page. The movie succeeds in humanizing those affected by the opioid crisis, which involves record-breaking rates of overdoses from heroin and prescription painkillers. . "Recovery Boys" depicts a tough battle, but one that is . He became board certified in emergency medicine and worked in numerous medical settings throughout West Virginia. The realities of addiction and abuse are unglamorous, but not unsympathetic. } I pray for all of these men. basically my whole town does it. Read all Director Elaine McMillion Sheldon It is intimate and courageous at the same time. The film, which can be viewed on Netflix, was . Ever. We use Jeff is the very first resident at the rehab center and he is highly motivated to get sober so he can regain custody of his two young daughters. Jeff is a 26-year-old father of two who's been released from jail into a six-month program. I had to find something. For cost savings, you can change your plan at any time online in the Settings & Account section. Sheldon did an excellent job, showing the ups and downs of the recovery process that felt real. The silence lingers until addiction counselor Craig Cohen carefully asks the four men, each a portrait of masculinity in camouflage caps and tattoos: Are we just talking shit every day? Recovery Boys, from Academy Award nominated director Elaine McMillion Sheldon (Heroin(e)), is an intimate look at the strength, brotherhood, and courage that it takes to overcome addiction and lays bare the internal conflict of recov See production, box office & company info. Photo by Rebecca Kiger. {"navigation\/item":"