"This is possibly the best portrait of addiction and the toll it takes on addicts and their families..." Steve Kopian, Unseen Films

Curtis's America is a country where people and communities are struggling with an epidemic of substance use disorder, joblessness, poverty, and a deteriorating sense of belonging. Can Curtis break the cycle of addiction that has plagued his family for generations?



Grade Level: College, Adults
US Release Date: 2025     Copyright Date: 2024
DVD ISBN: 1-961192-51-9

Reviews "The documentary is unflinching in depicting the lives that so many Americans face but are so rarely seen." Scott Tong, NPR Here and Now "Inheritance is a gripping, sometimes devastating portrait of the impact of substance use disorder and intergenerational trauma. In Curtis's story, the film makes personal the broader struggle faced by many in underserved communities, vividly illustrating Pomeroy as a small town in a much larger constellation of the opioid epidemic. This film isn't just a portrayal of a family tragedy; it's a clarion call for our nation to better address our communities' unmet needs in behavioral health and beyond." Amanda Pears Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, Association of Clinicians for the Underserved "Unstinting and deeply moving, Inheritance straddles hope and grief to tell the story of one family drowning in a river of drugs and the guts it takes to get out. This is a searing testament to grit and grief." Nancy Campbell, Professor of Science and Technology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Author, OD: Naloxone and the Politics of Overdose "Inheritance is a gut-wrenching portrayal of the brutal reality of life for many in Appalachia, a people and place that is often overlooked and stigmatized. Having served as an addiction physician on the front lines of this epidemic for the past two decades, the families portrayed represent a cross-section of our communities that some will find easy to judge. My hope is that viewers will see the shared humanity in these families, see common desires and struggles, and possibly consider how the lives of these folk prophetically mirror a larger sickness in our country." James Berry, Professor of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, Director of Addictions, West Virginia University "The film transcends the traditional boundaries of documentary filmmaking. It's a story that informs but also emotionally engages and challenges its viewers, illuminating the complexities of addiction and its underlying issues in a manner that's both enlightening and profoundly human." Chris Jones, Overly Honest Movie Reviews "Inheritance deftly navigates the complexity of poverty and addiction: families as a source of both hope and trauma; communities devastated from economic disinvestment and environmental injustices yet strive for resilience; and people seeking fuller lives but held back by structural disadvantages. This film presents one family with the multidimensional humanity they deserve. This is a must-watch to understand the roots of the overdose crisis and to see why our continual reliance on the criminal legal and child welfare systems will not reverse the harms it has incurred." Kristina Brant, Assistant Professor of Rural Sociology, Pennsylvania State University "A heartbreaking portrait of cyclical poverty and addiction...Curtis is a joyous and pure soul. He grins and bares the trauma that swirls around him. You want to reach through the screen and rescue him." Liz Whittemore, Reel News Daily "Inheritance powerfully humanizes households who are desperate to break the generational cycle of addiction under some of the most difficult circumstances. This film illustrates how love and hope persist across generations, even as families struggle against the weight of intergenerational trauma and the social determinants of health that limit access to recovery and stability. It is a moving reminder that each generation longs to give more to the next, but without adequate resources and systemic support, the cycle becomes painfully hard to escape." Shawnda Schroeder, Assistant Professor of Indigenous Health, University of North Dakota "A probing look inside the opioid addiction crisis in America... Remarkable film." Valerie Milano, The Hollywood Times "Inheritance provides an authentic depiction of multigenerational opioid use disorder. For anyone interested in how the confluence of poverty and trauma can fuel substance use disorders, this film offers a compelling and empathetic window into a family challenged by these social problems. This is a particularly effective film for college and graduate level courses because it portrays these dynamics without inserting extensive explanation, so students can apply concepts related to substance use disorders and social determinants of health on their own." Erin Fanning Madden, Assistant Professor, Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University "We see moments of playfulness, smiles, and even hope...A moving film that reminds us of parts of the world that often times go unnoticed." Caroline Ryan, Culture Elixir "This is an emotional, painful, and very well-done documentary. Inheritance effectively conveys the juxtaposition of hope and hopelessness between the wish to avoid the devastating disease of addiction and the seemingly predetermined march to the use of addictive substances and all the sadness, turmoil, and loss that follows. I thank this family for their courage to share their story so that others may understand the impact of the chronic, relapsing brain disease of addiction on the family and the need for effective treatment and ongoing care." Patricia Sue Grigson, Professor and Chair, College of Medicine, Director, Addiction Center for Translation, Pennsylvania State University "Heart-wrenching...Vivid imagery...People watching the film have no choice but to try and root for our subject." Richard Schertzer, BattleRoyaleWithCheese "Haunting the cinematic darkness and poignant moments of love and beauty in this film, as depicted through the day-to-day, year-to-year struggles of these families, is the brutal specter of what happens when social safety nets, jobs, healthcare, and opportunities to thrive are not available. Inheritance is no morality play - there's no agenda to this poignant, beautiful, bittersweet film - but there's a message for anyone who doesn't understand the interconnectedness of economic and environmental injustice, generational poverty, and drug addiction: our children are born with hope and resilience; it is the adults and leaders who must acknowledge that many in our country need help, and that begins with empathy and understanding." Amy Sullivan, Assistant Professor of History, Macalester College, Author, Opioid Reckoning: Love, Loss and Redemption in the Rehab State