In Suck it Up, Buttercup, a runaway teenager Jackie (Lacy Marie Meyer) is a former honor student dealing with drug addiction and family strife. The film is set in small-town America and is an authentic look at the toll the disease takes on families.
Jackie's pregnant mom, Ellie works double shifts at the hospital to keep her family afloat. Jackie is desperate to get her next fix and struggles to get the money from her father, Joe, and will do anything to get it. Jackie's parents are sent on a wild goose chase after their daughter runs away and claims to be kidnapped by her grandfather.
This raw and emotional film is appropriate for high school students and college students in psychology classes. Libraries should consider this title as an educational tool to teach students about the dangers of addiction and its ties to criminal activity.