To Write Love on Her Arms (2012) User Reviews (15)

Wow

[mikeld-300-868152 · 10/10 · 29 November 2014]

This movie is both ordinary and extraordinary. I have to confess I almost passed on it after reading a review on this site where the reviewer named Kat Dennings as his favorite actress. I couldn't imagine that. I was a fan of 2 broke girls in the beginning but drifted away from it because I felt it continued to go in a more and more ridiculous direction. I also saw Kat in the Thor movies and felt there wasn't ever going to be anything special about her.

I was wrong. This movie touched me in so many ways I hardly know where to start.

Having dealt with addictions and a major depressive order I feel I'm qualified to comment further. I was captivated by the story, which on its own unfortunately is a common and ordinary one these days. There is a lot to grasp and the pace is neither quick or slow, somehow they got it just right and that in itself is huge. The movie is honest and unapologetic and Kat nailed it. At times I related personally and at others I was reminded of someone in my life. I was totally captivated. The fact that this story is based on a true story was secondary for me.

What made this movie extraordinary for me was that they never really tried to offer a solution. They never tried to preach. Anybody who has ever sought recovery knows it is a very personal and heart-wrenching journey that can't be done alone. This movie somehow captured that.

I expected right from the start to see Kat come out as that brassy bold woman we all know and love, or not, but that wasn't the case. She portrayed perfectly a troubled girl who battled her demons and never felt quite like she was winning. She somehow made me feel like I was seeing something private and I wasn't supposed to be there at all.

The supporting cast was great as well. there were noticeable issues in personality changes in a couple of the characters, but nothing major. The story forgives itself.

This is a must see movie. If for no other reasons than to give your heart a gift. Thank you for this.

If you could read my mind, you'd be in tears

[tieman64 · 14 February 2015]

A weak but well-meaning film by director Nathan Frankowski, "To Write Love on Her Arms" stars Kat Dennings as Renne Yohe, a young woman who is saved from addiction, self-harm, suicide and depression by friends and strangers. The film is based on several real-life events. These events would lead to the formation of an American non-profit organisation which specialises in assisting those suffering from addictions and depression.

When it adopts a tone of social-realism, "To Write Love on Her Arms" is a fine drama. The film's touching tale, however, is derailed by unnecessary flashbacks, jarring fantasy sequences and a plot which is less interested in Renne than the non-profit organisation formed in response to her plight. Co-starring Rupert Friend and Chad Murray.

6/10 – Better films about suicide and self-harm: "Night Mother", Louis Malle's "The Fire Within", "Harold and Maude", "The Bridge", "The Seventh Continent", "Ordinary People", "Girl Interrupted", "A Taste of Cherry", "Imaginary Heroes" and "Mouchette".

Made for TV Drug War Propaganda

[in1984 · 2/10 · 3 December 2014]

2 of 10. This is the worst kind of war on drugs propaganda and film. It feels like you're watching something quickly scrambled together to show on TV with the intent of persuading young people that drugs are bad, only used by "messed up" people, and you can only be good again by rehabbing with baby-Jesus.

Leading the way is Kat Dennings, who is the poster actress for grunge/goth/outsider posers. Add to that a collection of desperate actors and actresses hoping for a break or a paycheck and you get nothing worth watching other than the irony of their story not telling what they try to force it to tell via one last end-of-film gimmick.

The only thing I'll be writing love to after watching this is the programmer who made increased playback speeds possible so I could get this film over without sacrificing too much of my life.

A Beautiful Hidden Gem of A Movie

[james-325-474821 · 8/10 · 2 December 2014]

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.

Wow. It's a MIRACLE!

[frownaround · 2/10 · 8 April 2016]

Wow. That simple, hey? Just go sleep it off for a week. Then get into rehab. Seriously? You can't go to rehab until your clean? Ugh. I'm still trying to figure out why she was going through opiate withdrawal because of cocaine. But hey, get some sleep and distraction for a few days, chill in rehab then you're all set to help others with their life destroying turmoil. Anti-Drug propaganda created by people who know little to nothing about drugs or the millions upon millions of people who use them. Dumb. Most people who use drugs are not messed up. Non users just have no idea because most people who use drugs are just. like. them.

Well casted, and great storyline.

[ainslie-m-mitchell · 9/10 · 5 December 2014]

I felt like this movie was done very tastefully. It is a touchy subject to do a film with these types of mental health issues. Kat Dennings does an amazing job in this film. I've seen it twice now. You can't help but feel for her character. The supporting characters are great as well. It has a great storyline, and the ending is awesome. I felt they did it in the best way possible, and didn't make it look glamorous the way other movies tend to do. There isn't a moment where you have a dragging of the plot, and there is a fair share of super intense emotional scenes. This movie made me cry, and was just a movie you need to see. Especially if you or someone you know has struggled with anything that's in this movie or related.

This film accurately and excellently portrays the life of Renee Yohe and how the organization TWLOHA came to be.

[liebhartfilms · 10/10 · 4 March 2015]

If you are expecting an intense Hollywood drama about a young woman's struggle with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide then don't watch this movie. This is not a Hollywood movie but the story of how Renee Yohe fell to rock bottom, and more importantly how five friends supported her through her five days of detox. In fact, it was independently produced and picked up by Sony for film distribution purposes.

After those five days she entered detox, and as a way to pay for her treatment and recovery her story was wrote by Jamie Tworkowski, a friend who had stayed with her during those five days. They sold shirts on Myspace that funded her treatment. That publishing of the story and creation of the Myspace page led to millions of people discovering the origination and sharing their own stories.

I would like to share is that this is not a religious movie, though there are scenes in this movie that portray forms of Christianity. Those scenes are important to the lives of Renee Yohe and Jamie Tworkowski, because they play a part not only in the original story but in their personal lives as well. I have been a supporter of the organization for quite some time now, and although some individuals in the organization have religious beliefs the organization does not push people towards religion, but rather provide a gap between awareness and recovery. A large portion of their funds are donated to recovery programs.

The last thing that I would like to say, as another user commented to say it was, this is not a drug propaganda movie, nor any other type of propaganda. It reflects the beliefs of the organization that treatment and recovery are very real and possible options, and that hope is real.

This is part of a girl's life and story that has changed the life of so many other people.

Kat Dennings is a Gem

[softspokenghost · 10/10 · 15 December 2017]

Dennings takes on the role of Renee Yohe (a depressed 19-year-old with substance abuse problems) and does it flawlessly. She perfectly depicts a young woman who never quite feels like she's winning.

From the minute you see her on screen she grabs hold of you and takes you on her journey. The movie is colorful and vibrant at first, then becomes dark and cold. Renee pushes her family and friends away after a rave her and said friends (Jessie and Dylan) attend. Things to down hill for Renee after and two years later they reconnect and try to get her help.

After 5 days of detox, she's submitted into rehab. Now, once she gets out she soon discovers she's still "messed up" and has a drawback. One day at a time is what she's told to do.

This movie is wonderfully done. It brings awareness and light to an audience that might not know a lot about this topic. Through her personal struggles, the foundation To Write Love on Her Arms was made to help people going through similar things know they're not alone.

Amazing!

[abbie_weishaar · 10/10 · 22 July 2012]

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!!

What a pity...!

[london2010-175-876103 · 8/10 · 2 December 2014]

Such good and touching movie. Its story has been told very straightforward and clearly without wasting a minute and grabs your attention from the first minute. The message and closing part is such good that stays with you for hours. Kat Dennings is very lovable and believable in her role, she has done a great job here. Music is also a strong point of it. I strongly recommend to go and watch it in cinemas when its officially released(hopefully in 2015).... but there's only one thing I don't understand.... and that is: This movie has been produced in 2012 and has been showed in a number of film festivals since,.... without having released officially in cinemas for public... Why??? Such good movie why should be stored in those lousy vulnerable hard drives of Sony Pictures company that long till those hackers from North Korea( or whatever) can get their dirty hands on it and publishing it over the peer to peer websites for people to download it for free?? that's a great shame... all the hard work of people involving to producing this beautiful movie are wasted now... what a pity... thats sad...

A story about someone in need that overcomes great challenges

[patrick_loan · 9/10 · 25 January 2015]

9 out of 10, what am I, crazy? Hear me out.

For one thing, the story alone is about someone going through a difficult time in their life that is able to overcome one of the hardest obstacles that most people cannot even imagine. This person, with there friends whom abandoned them originally, is able to recover from a difficult scenario.

Now for the rating. Often times you find directors often cutting the film so often its like staring into a strobe light on full blast. This film is not afraid to do long cuts and as a result draws you into the film as if you are experiencing it yourself.

Kat Dennings plays an amazing performance that has you feeling as if you are apart of everything and going through the same experiences as she is.

The visual effects in this movie are also note-worthy. It brings you back to your childhood where every static thing becomes a reality- moving, breathing, a life-hood of its own.

If you have never watched this movie, owe it to yourself and give it a go. Ignore the haters, watch it with an open mind, and you will find something about yourself in this film.

watch the movie

[music-incorporated3000 · 8/10 · 4 December 2014]

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.

Talk About a Tear Jerker

[EvylOverLord · 9/10 · 4 December 2023]

I'll be honest that I don't know what it's like to be addicted to drugs or alcohol, and can't speak to the accuracy of the film in that regard. So I am reviewing the story on things such as artistic feel, acting, plot progression, etc. I did really enjoy this movie, which is surprising considering its content. The characters and their struggles felt real, and the movie had enough balance in the drama to not drag you down too low.

I felt that the artistic elements were beautiful and made sense to the plot. The characters seemed reasonably well acted. I admit I may be biased though as a "Two Broke Girls" fan. I actually thought a lot of the supporting cast were really good too though, and weirdly the person driving the rickshaw seems like their character's story should have been in there a bit more, as it was hinted how important they were to Renee's character, but not as well covered. I did think the person who's place she stayed at seemed a bit more shallow than their character should have been, and am uncertain if that was writing or acting.

Some people have considered this as an anti drug propaganda film, and maybe it is, I can't say. It's based on a true story, and as all films based on true stories we will never have the whole story, not just because the 2 hour time limit, but because there will always be more to the story to the people who actually lived it.

I feel muddled and cheated

[Gordon-11 · 19 December 2014]

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.

Oscar-worthy

[flblueeyedboy · 10/10 · 13 March 2015]

All her life, Renee Yohe was a dreamer. Until life took away her dreams. Caught up in the mid-Florida drug world, she reconnects with her friends whom she left two years ago, asking for help to overcome her struggles. What she doesn't know is that her story would provide hope for people like her around the world.

This film is a perfect depiction of what really goes down, and how rehab really goes. Throughout her entire career, Kat Dennings (Renee) has always played sarcastic, hilarious characters. And one of the truly serious roles in her career, she nails. I'm surprised she wasn't given at least a nod from the Academy for Best Actress.

Everybody's performances to couple with hers give the whole movie a sense of solid tangibility, as a BOATS (Based On A True Story) feature should. To think that one woman, whose story we've heard a million times, would inspire a non-profit organization that shares the same name as the movie, motivating depressed, addicted, and even suicidal young adults to never give up, because Renee didn't.

This movie should have won awards across the board, but even though it didn't, it shows that anything is possible when you ask for help. A definite must-see