As rampant and as explicitly destructive as opioid addiction is increasingly understood to be, one would think the creative arts would've risen to the challenge of depicting this red alert crisis on a much wider, more versatile, and more nuanced scale.

"Better Than Love" loudly responds to that relative creative silence by acquitting itself as a highly engrossing film, and in no small part by riding a great performance from Andrew Lawrence all the way to the winner's circle. Lawrence plays Jon - yes, he's a nickel and dime drug dealer, but also a wholly decent human on the inside - whose initially sustainable relationship with traditional street drugs soon meets with the monster that is fentanyl. As art appropriately reflects our truths in life, Jon is quickly in over his head at the deep end of the pool, as this is a drug whose power and addictive qualities seemingly tear through the most steeled of human lives, creating a permeating helplessness that's nearly impossible to then separate from.

This is an addiction film, and addiction is resoundingly bleak. Verily, the film does not depict Rocky joyously defeating his opponent, or Ewoks dancing in the forest, and kudos to this production team for keeping it real. Throughout its course, "Better Than Love" is an immersive and very well-executed independent film made for consumers who don't mind subjecting themselves to the very real underbelly of our most brutal human trappings.

Better Than Love is a gripping indie drama. Based on true events, the film follows a young man who deals drugs in order to help get him out of the suburban ghetto. But after an altercation lands him in the hospital with a prescription to OxyContin, the young man slowly transforms from a dealer into an addicted customer. This is an incredibly timely film as the opioid epidemic is sweeping our country. I'm not sure that I've seen a film really deal with this issue yet. Better Than Love is gripping and very well crafted, particularly for an indie film. I very much liked the film's score as well. I'd highly recommend watching Better Than Love to anyone looking for a timely and high quality indie drama.

There's no denying the power and raw emotion of this film. It's a descent into hell. And as the viewer, you're pulled along into the lower depths. There's great storytelling and acting here. This movie is to opioid addiction what The Lost Weekend is to alcoholism. A painful and involving story, based on a true story... making it all the more real. An excellent film!