Without having ever met or talked to writer/director Chris Merola (The Stall), I think it’s fair to say and even assume that the inspiration behind Lemonade Blessing may have come from an episode of The Simpsons. This isn’t a dig in any way shape or form because Lemonade Blessing is insightful, hilarious, and realistic for the characters’ ages and is incredibly relatable. Partner all of this with a stellar cast and some truly uncomfortable moments and you have yourself a thoroughly enjoyable trip down a possible memory lane of when one was a young teen exploring their sexuality and first crush(es). So prepare for the awkward, hilarious trip that is Chris Merola’s Lemonade Blessing.
Jake Ryan as John in LEMONADE BLESSING. Photo courtesy of Submarine Entertainment.
The movie focuses on John (Jake Ryan) who lives with his recently divorced mother, Mary (Jeanine Serralles), as his father, Pete (Todd Gearhart), is certainly less interested in being part of his ex’s religious beliefs and is not interested in being a dad to his son. John is surrounded by his friends and is closest to Angelo (Miles J Harvey), a typical 14/15-year-old boy who only wants to talk about women in a sexual way and thinks that because he “watches a lot of porn” and never has had a girlfriend that he’s a master of all and his word is accurate. This changes when John meets Lilith (Skye Alyssa Friedman) and, being more than a bit smitten by her, tries to pursue her. She agrees to date John and the two start off on a rebellious adventure as she is only in catholic school because of her “divorced” parents (something John is happy they have in common) and not because of her own beliefs, and she wants John to defy Jesus and his religion in favor of her. Hesitant at first, John decides to lead with his stomach and not listen to his heart or brain in terms of his beliefs and things slowly devolve into uncomfortable yet hilarious territory.
Skye Alyssa Friedman as Lilith in LEMONADE BLESSING. Photo courtesy of Submarine Entertainment.
The supporting cast is the weaker point as their characters don’t get time to be fleshed out and explored, nor do they bring memorable performances within the time they have on screen. The performances of the main cast of Lemonade Blessings match the high points of the premise and direction. Jake Ryan (Uncut Gems/Asteroid City) and Skye Alyssa Friedman, who are both crucial to the movie and the success of telling this story, are fantastic. Considering it’s Friedman’s first feature role, as well, she makes a remarkable debut. Partnering her with Ryan playing the “straight man” archetype while she plays the more thrill-seeking character juxtaposes them both perfectly and creates the perfect balance of innocence and rebellion as they play off each other effortlessly. Miles J. Harvey (The Babysitter/The Cobbler) playing the dude-bro friend also plays the role excellently, but it is Jeanine Serralles (Inside Llewyn Davis) as the overbearing, over-protective mother who is a scene-stealer in her awkwardness and overbearing persona.
L-R: Jake Ryan as John and Skye Alyssa Friedman as Lilith in LEMONADE BLESSING. Photo courtesy of Submarine Entertainment.
What makes Lemonade Blessing work are the ingenious, twisted, hilarious script and direction provided by Chris Merola. He manages to craft a story (similar to but different from The Simpsons Season 6, Episode 7, where Bart falls for Reverend Lovejoy’s daughter, Jessica, and she makes him do things he even thinks goes too far in the name of love) that is simply reminiscent of childhood love, not knowing what we were doing, and trying to make it last forever. It’s whimsically innocent while also being carefully balanced to be hilarious and unnerving. Lemonade Blessing is a surefire hit that is going to delight audiences and is truly an exceptional feature debut. I cannot wait to see what Chris Merola comes up with next.
Screening during Tribeca Film Festival 2025.
For more information, head to the official Tribeca Film Festival Lemonade Blessing webpage.
Final Score: 4 out of 5.
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Categories: In Theaters, Reviews
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