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OXY/MORON
Set in a region predisposed to depression and overrun with opioids, OXY/MORON is a warm-hearted, teary-eyed look at life, death, and hope in Appalachia.
The Logline
A third layoff sends Keith Bragg, a down-on-his-luck twenty-something West Virginian, into an opioid-fueled spiral, just as a protest by local Satanists begins to fracture his hometown along political and religious fault lines.
The Story at a Glance
OXY/MORON examines the modern millennial malaise of life in a fly-over state. In between layoffs and funerals for friends, Keith Bragg finds himself back on a pain pill crutch. Over 10 days of benders and bible verses, canoe trips and car crashes, protests and pain pills, the characters rely on their friends, families, and faith to survive a delirious, even dangerous journey toward self-discovery.
The Characters
When Keith blurs out, the POV gets handed over to the more diverse voices in Appalachia. (This ain’t no Hillbilly Elegy.) There’s Rajesh Krishnan, a corporate ladder-climber overcoming micro (and macro) aggressions; Maya Robbins, a gay Black middle school teacher whose efforts to improve her hometown draw the ire of her parents and out-of-town friends alike; Aimee Stuck, the prickly, single Appalachian momma bear; and John “‘Mater” Mercer, an uncouth redneck just trying to do good.
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The Bottom Line
OXY/MORON is a humorous, heartfelt, and nuanced look at Appalachia in the Opioid Era, a place where hope, depression, love, and loss live in discordant harmony. It explores the dark ironies of the region and shows how extraordinary experiences happen in even the most ordinary of places—all without reinforcing any negative stereotypes.
Wanna know how it ends?
No spoilers, obviously, but if you’re interested, you can email me to learn more about the project.