I personally live in Middletown, Ohio. Born & raised. Just a few years younger than JD. For the first 10 years of my life I grew up in the area literally just a few blocks from where JD was living. Although much of the movie was filmed in Georgia, I found myself pointing at the houses yelling the street names and having flashbacks of my childhood! This movie might not represent “all” of Middletown or everyone’s experiences who’ve lived(s) here but from JD’s experiences it’s honest, and real. From the personalities, characterizations, down to the kids JD was hanging and getting into trouble with. Spot on! Ron Howard and all the actors/actresses did a phenomenal job. All these reviews from Hollywood and cable news write ups saying this is the worst movie ever...you don’t know my back yard or the struggles our city has gone through. It’s not something to smirk at or discredit. Middletown has struggled with economic growth for over 30+ years and sadly, it hasn’t gotten better. When you have a stagnant economy, along with little economic opportunities in your community, you have struggling families, poverty, and all the bad things that come with it. Watch this movie with an open heart and it’ll move you.