Union County
Oscilloscope Laboratories | Release Date: August 14, 2026 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
72
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews
Positive:
9
Mixed:
2
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
70
The Hollywood ReporterDavid RooneyFeb 9, 2026
While the main actors are excellent, the gains from not just making a documentary instead of this hybrid form, or from multiplying the running time by 10, are open to debate. That said, the community-minded sincerity behind Union County cannot be questioned. Read full review
60
ColliderTherese LacsonFeb 4, 2026
Poulter's acting keeps it afloat ultimately, but there are moments when the desire to focus on the recovery journey overshadows the actual story at the heart of the film. Ultimately, Union County is a respectable debut for Meeks, but in trying to do too much, it fails to land on solid ground by the time the film is over. Read full review
60
The GuardianBenjamin LeeJan 27, 2026
If Union County serves as proof that Poulter deserves more substantive work and shines a light on people in a remarkable system, then it’s more than worth the choice to go docudrama over drama. But I still craved more of the real people. Read full review
80
VarietyPeter DebrugeJan 26, 2026
Life has a way of getting complicated when you introduce temptation, and though Union County can be frustratingly simple at times, the stakes are life and death. Read full review
70
Screen DailyTim GriersonJan 26, 2026
This heartfelt picture can be overly familiar, but Poulter’s intensely interior performance lends the proceedings sufficient edge and fascination. Read full review
83
The PlaylistMarshall ShafferJan 26, 2026
Union County offers something better than the Hollywood ending. It’s honest. It’s helpful. Perhaps, it’s even hopeful for those willing to sit with the uncomfortable reality of the condition, as Meeks and Poulter have. A transient victory is a triumph all the same. Read full review
80
New York Magazine (Vulture)Bilge EbiriJan 26, 2026
We talk of fictional movies with documentary touches, but Union County sometimes feels like a documentary with some fictional touches. Read full review
75
IndieWireKatie RifeJan 26, 2026
Union County doesn’t completely bypass addiction-drama clichés. But its detailed, humanistic approach successfully creates a realistic world that supports its muted storytelling Read full review
75
The Film StageJake Kring-SchreifelsJan 26, 2026
Even with a dense backdrop and textured surroundings, Union County sits on the shoulders of Cody, and the movie succeeds largely because of Poulter’s still, shy performance as a young man quietly reckoning with life on the ropes. Read full review
80
TheWrapChase HutchinsonJan 26, 2026
At every turn, the film earns every emotional, lived-in development, instilling this slice-of-life portrait with such a quiet humanity that it can feel like you’re sitting at the tables and in the meeting rooms along with all the characters. Read full review
70
The Daily BeastNick SchagerJan 26, 2026
Follows festival tradition by featuring a stellar breakthrough performance from a well-known actor—in this case, Will Poulter’s sterling turn as a junkie caught in a prison of his own making. Read full review
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