7/10

A story of redemption chronicled by real life drug addict, Renee Yohe, is presented in this straight to DVD gem by up and coming Director, Nathan Frankowski. She’s a a Florida teenager who struggles with addiction and abuse. In a creative blend of artistic fantasy and transitional musical numbers, the film takes us on our protagonist’s troubling road to clarity. Renee discovers the value of genuine friendships and embarks on a daunting yet courageous journey towards recovery. There is a lot i enjoyed from this director’s first real project, and it’s clear that he has a truly innovative style that creates some dreamy, almost fairytale like settings to accomodate Yohe’s drug induced imagery. The film is a little over emotional at times, but the pace kept rolling smooth enough that i never felt weighed down with “Just another sob story”. Renee is played by Kat Dennings, an actress who i am not a huge fan of, but i have to admit that her role in this film is leaps and bounds above anything else she has ever done. Her performance signifies a girl who lives her life around fairytales, but is forced to grow up quickly. Dennings supplies an innocence to her role that yanks at the emotions of the audience viewing her cloudy situations with concern. It’s truly her first ACTING performance, and i would like to see more dramatic roles from the young starlet. Another notable positive is a soundtrack of young indie bands that is an early favorite for soundtrack of the year in my eyes. Artists like Travie McCoy, Civilian, and Between The Trees. Music plays as big of a role in this film as the actors do, because it’s that music that supplies the narration during the dream scenes playing out in Renee’s mind. I particularly enjoyed McCoy making an appearance during the opening scene of the film walking with Renee and her group of friends down the high school hallway, as they all sport their beats headphones. It’s a great way to keep the film modern to the teenage music crowds, but also producing eye candy cinematography for the film lovers of any age. The film would probably be a lot higher if it weren’t for some things (Minor and Major) that took me away from the story it was telling. The first is the title. I get why the movie is called this, and understand the story behind it, but it’s too long and will be hard to remember for anyone who hasn’t followed Renee’s story. The film has been in developmental hell since 2012 when it was known as “Day One”. I am glad that the movie saw the light of day for those affected by addiction, but i think the original title was more symbolic of the long road ahead. I also felt that the film lacked a backstory for it’s main character. Outside of her addiction, i came out of the film feeling like i knew very little more about her than i did before i started the movie. The film is only 95 minutes, so some time could’ve been dedicated at the beginning of the film to show the motivations Renee had for exploring her curiosities. The movie also explores a love interest between her and her friend, Jamie (Chad Michael Murray). This is hinted at, and then ignored for the rest of the third and final act. I felt letdown that there was no payoff considering the actors had such great on screen chemistry. Overall, “To Write Love On Her Arms” is destined to be a cult favorite among the people who come from such rocky roads. It serves as a voice for the voiceless to anyone scared to seek help, and that is a cause that i can always support. With a release straight to DVD, there is no reason not to check out the film for Dennings emotionally frail portrayal, as well as an accurate account of the tribulations those in recovery deal with every day.