To Write Love on Her Arms

Produced in 2012, this film has traveled the film festival circuit for far too long without having a proper mainstream release.

The story's arc is revealed to us through the mind of the main character through an imaginative use of animated visuals. The audience is allowed to travel in and out of the mind of the main character's coping mechanisms through a very clever and effective assortment of visual and musical story devices. When these mechanisms begin to fail, these conventions carry through in an appropriately dynamic fashion.

Rupert Friend delivers a stunning performance in his supporting role, and this film will be a pleasant surprise to those who know this actor from the 'Homeland' series.

The film has some roughness around the edges, and at times feels like a very expensive (and slightly didactic) after-school special. But those moments are fleeting, and are contrasted with some very harsh visuals and story progression that are anything but didactic.

We're presented with a brutally honest story that is at times both beautiful and horrifying in its presentation of characters that come full circle in the end.

I saw this movie at the Omaha Film Festival and we stayed an extra two to three hours just to watch it (I went up with my school theatre troupe and we had school the next day). I loved it and it moved me and everyone else in the theatre. Kat Dennings is one of my favorite actresses and Chad Micheal Murry was awesome too. We had a Q&A session before the movie with Chad Micheal Murry, David McKenna and Kim the director. We learned about To Write Love On Her Arms and Renee. Just hearing that made me want to see the movie so much more. After the movie, my troupe, along with the parents that attended, were given a packet of questions for the movie with questions asking about how we liked the movie and if we had done any of the stuff in the movie. So we were the guinea pig audience for this movie and we had a blast getting to talk with Chad, David, and Kim. Hope you all liked it because I, and my troupe, loved it!!

"To Write Love on Her Arms" is the real heartbreaking story of substance abuse of Renee Yohe. After a horrible experience on a Halloween party in high school, Renee starts spiraling out of control in the following years with all 8ind of drugs & alcohol, until her best friends and some new friends help her detox. She feels better & gets clean and then her friend Jamie writes a story on MySpace about her life.

This is a true story and this is what makes it even more real and strong. The plot is well constructed and the actors do great, especially Kat Dennings. She's the best choice for the role, with her mixing of easy-going irony and deeper portrayal of pain and deeper emotions: one of her best roles 'til then.

It's a strong movie and its lacking of too much anticipatable happy ending makes it even more close to everyday life. However, it's not too heavy to watch, it has a hopeful message all things considered: you can overcome everything if you want it and if the right people show off helping you at the right moment.

I still don't understand why 3 years had to pass before being released, it's madness! It's success is all deserved.

After years of anticipation, it looks as though the To Write Love On Her Arms movie is finally going to come to fruition. Founder Jamie Tworkowski recently posted an update he received from Senior Vice President of Business Affairs from Sony Pictures, Dan Primozic, which divulged that they are planning a March 2015 release for the film. You can read the letter in full below.

Are you excited to see the movie?

The impending film is based on the true story of Renee Yohe—a young woman who overcame drug addiction, alcohol abuse and a self-harm compulsion, and the same woman whose life inspired the nonprofit organization To Write Love On Her Arms. Kat Dennings (Nick And Norah's Infinite Playlist, Thor) will represent Yohe and Chad Michael Murray (One Tree Hill) will portray TWLOHA founder Jamie Tworkowski. Shooting originally began in 2011, when it was under the moniker, Renee. Since then, it has changed to Day One. At this time, however, it is simply being referred to as #TWLOHATHEMOVIE. AWESOME movie.

This film tells the story of a young woman who has mood and addiction problems. She is helped by friends to stay clean, and subsequently they founded an organisation to help other young people.

"To Write Love on Her Arms" is not an easy film to watch or comment on, because it is a person's intensely personal journey. However, viewing it as a film, I found the plot rather difficult to understand. I don't understand why Renee is depressed and is on drugs to start with, leaving me confused for the rest of the film. Renee does not seem to have the big heart described in the plot summary immediately after her discharge from the detox centre. It was someone else who founded the charity organisation, and Renee is not even ready to deal with her own problems - let alone other people's problems. So I was left feeling muddled and cheated throughout the film.

Of course I have to say that it is great that Renee her friends are still running the charity organisation to help others, which shows that they are altruistic and compassionate. I just wish there is more of that portrayed in the film.