Zach Braff and Esther McGregor addiction drama ‘Clean Hands’ secures release deal

Zach Braff and Esther McGregor’s Tribeca drama 'Clean Hands' secures North American release after festival debut

The drama Clean Hands, starring Zach Braff and Esther McGregor, has secured North American distribution rights with Vertical after its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Directed by Jake Allyn, the film is based on a true story and explores America’s opioid crisis through the intertwined lives of a father and daughter on opposite sides of addiction. Braff plays Sergeant Kevin Simmers, a law enforcement officer leading a drug task force in Hagerstown, Maryland, a key stop along the so-called “Heroin Highway,” while McGregor portrays his 19-year-old daughter Brooke, whose prescription drug use escalates into heroin addiction.

The narrative follows Kevin as he confronts both the systemic failures of the war on drugs and the personal devastation unfolding within his own family. At the same time, Brooke struggles through addiction and recovery, with both father and daughter forced to confront trauma, accountability, and the possibility of redemption.

The cast also includes Abigail Spencer, Holt McCallany, and Lucas Till. The film is produced by Jake Allyn and Conor Allyn under Margate House Films, alongside additional producing partners, with executive producers including Braff and members of the Simmers family.

A key element of the production is its collaboration with Brooke’s House, a Maryland-based women’s recovery nonprofit. Women in recovery were employed in on-set training roles, while graduates of the programme also appear in the film. One-third of the film’s profits will be donated to support the organisation’s ongoing work in addiction recovery.

The North American deal was negotiated by Vertical executives Tony Piantedosi and Rachel White, alongside Oliver Wheeler of Range Select on behalf of the filmmakers. Vertical described the project as a powerful, character-driven drama rooted in real-life struggles, recovery, and hope.