In his debut feature film, Withdrawal, filmmaker Aaron Strand proves the adage “write what you know” successfully translates onscreen. Inspired by true events, Strand takes an otherwise dark period from his life and turns it into an intimate story of resilience. Strand’s closeness to the project doesn’t interfere with honestly portraying the difficult moments. In fact, his involvement as director, writer, and editor elevates Withdrawal into more than just an entertainment piece, but a heartbreaking yet hopeful survivor’s story about addiction and recovery. The film makes its World Premiere at the 2025 Atlanta Film Festival.

A Woman Confronts Her Present to Save Her Future

Viv (Millie Rose Evans) is an aspiring singer-songwriter whose growing dependency on heroin threatens to derail her career. It doesn’t help that her rebellious and equally addicted boyfriend, Jay (Brent Michal), is her biggest enabler. He constantly showers Viv with praise, telling her she’s “destined for greatness”. Viv is indeed talented, but she’ll never make it as a singer if she’s constantly shooting heroin. Viv and Jay are the epitome of codependent and toxic lovers. Their relationship is electric and fast-moving for all of the wrong reasons.

After being trapped in this vicious cycle of addiction, Viv’s parents enlist the help of an interventionist. Rehab is in Viv’s future if she can’t quit on her own. Jay, both stubborn and selfish, convinces Viv that she can quit on her own and avoid rehab altogether. He plans to get a prescription for suboxone, a medicine used to treat dependence on opioid drugs. However, getting their hands on suboxone isn’t that easy. A doctor will only prescribe the medicine to those who commit to being treated for their addiction and not just use it as a temporary solution. Viv and Jay agree it’s worth a shot and must start the withdrawal process that night. What transpires is physical, mental, and emotional chaos that sends them to the lowest of lows and hardest of rock bottoms as they try to figure out where it all went wrong.

The Multiple Meanings of Withdrawal

The film’s title, Withdrawal, evokes a double entendre. The obvious use of the word refers to withdrawal from substances, which Viv and Jay experience. The second and perhaps more metaphorical meaning relates to withdrawing from a toxic relationship. This is where the film shines, as Millie Rose Evans does a phenomenal job getting into the psyche of Viv. All the performances, including those from the supporting cast, feel organic and true. Filmmaker Aaron Strand doesn’t shy away from portraying the grittiness at the height of drug addiction. Those who have a phobia of needles and sounds of bodily noises should watch the film with caution as there are scenes, including the third-act bathroom scene, that are not for those with weak stomachs or gag reflexes. In no way is this lifestyle glorified; its graphic nature is the biggest “Just Say No” campaign I’ve seen in a long time.

Takeaway

It may not be the most lighthearted of watches, but Withdrawal‘s observational and empathetic approach makes a powerful statement. Says Strand, “Getting sober was the hardest thing I’d done. And I turned to movies to make sense of the wreckage. Watching films about addiction gave me hope that I wasn’t alone and reignited an artistic spark that had long since been burned out. Twelve years later, and I am incredibly grateful to have made my first feature film, Withdrawal. Inspired by my lived experience, and made by a diverse group of DIY artists, the film aims to humanize this crisis and to paint an honest portrait of modern addiction filled with heart, hurt, and humor.”