Documentary Shows Addiction Recovery Is Possible

Four men stood on stage in front of 17,000 screaming fans, living a dream they never thought possible. Hours earlier, Craig Fordham Jr., Earnest Thomas, Kevin Wheeler, and Amin Wright were still incarcerated at Chesterfield County Jail in Virginia, participating in an addiction recovery program.

Jeff Shulman's documentary "What It Takes" captures this extraordinary moment and other powerful stories of addiction recovery across America. The Northwestern alum spent two years following people who chose to share their journeys from the lowest points of addiction to hard-won sobriety.

Shulman got the idea at a Jelly Roll concert in 2024, where the rapper and singer made the audience believe anything was possible. When Shulman saw Jason Poch holding a banner celebrating 265 days of sobriety, he knew he had found his first story.

A month later, Shulman flew to California to interview Poch, his family, and his treatment team. Jelly Roll had taken Poch's banner onstage that night and personally encouraged him to reach a year of sobriety.

The documentary also features the four men from Chesterfield County Jail's HARP program (Helping Addicts Recover Progressively). Sheriff Karl Leonard created the innovative program after the 10th overdose death in the county, and it celebrated its 10th anniversary this March.

Fordham initially signed up for HARP thinking it would help in court. "I ended up staying for all the right reasons," he said. "The program worked on me without my permission."

Music became a healing path for the four men, who performed Jelly Roll songs together as part of the program. Their TikTok video caught the artist's attention, leading to jail visits and eventually that viral concert performance.

Why This Inspires

The documentary refuses to let addiction stories stay in the shadows where shame keeps them hidden. Kerri Rhodes, who directs the behavioral and mental health division at Chesterfield County Sheriff's Office and lost her own son to overdose, said the film gave her a chance to put his story back in the world.

Fordham said filming felt uncomfortable as someone who doesn't enjoy being the center of attention. But he pushed through because "if I can reach one person, that's all that matters."

Wright admitted the vulnerability felt challenging, not knowing how many people would eventually see his story. The courage these participants showed in sharing their struggles makes recovery feel less lonely for others facing similar battles.

Before the documentary's April premiere in Richmond, Shulman gave HARP participants a private screening. Rhodes wanted program members who couldn't attend the public showing to see themselves represented with dignity and hope.

"They've experienced the lowest of lows, and now they've worked aggressively to find the joy in that pain and to triumph it," Shulman said. The documentary finished its five-city tour in Wilmette, Illinois this week, carrying one clear message: recovery is possible, and no one fights alone.