Tribeca: “Lemonade Blessing” is “Lady Bird” for the Lads
An entire sub-category of the coming-of-age genre could be dedicated to films about the Catholic high school experience. From the serious to the comedic, and those that exist somewhere in the inbetween, there’s something that separates these movies from your public school coming-of-age flicks. That special something would be religious guilt, of which there is plenty in Chris Merola’s Tribeca-premiering Lemonade Blessing. What you could say is akin to Lady Bird for boys, Lemonade Blessing is about finding your place in the world as a teenager under the watchful eye of Jesus Christ.
courtesy of Tribeca
One of John’s (Jake Ryan) most defining traits is that his parents are divorced. It’s something he brings up on his first day at the private Catholic high school his devout mother (Jeanine Serralles) has enrolled him in. John, like many other fifteen-year-olds his age, has found himself at a crossroads between what his parents want for him and what he wants for himself. Of course, like all teens, he doesn’t know exactly what he wants for himself, but he’s intrigued by his rebellious classmate, Lilith (Skye Alyssa Friedman). She detests all that religion stands for, and John is drawn to that as he struggles to figure out his own relationship with the guy upstairs.
Religion is a thorny subject. It’s an institution based on the idea of instilling kindness, but so often people use it as a means of power and control. Instead of explaining why things are right and wrong to kids, parents and other adults point to old texts and say that something is good or bad because that’s how it was written. The world is far more gray than many would like to think. Lemonade Blessing is surprisingly interested in the underlying emotions of religious devotion and the role it plays in this instance of first love.
courtesy of Tribeca
Speaking of first love, Lemonade Blessing’s portrayal of the awkward teenage crush is equal parts endearing and horrifying. There’s a shot of John and Lilith sitting next to each other on a pew, and then a cut to an overhead shot of their hands as they slowly inch toward one another. This moment captures the simplicity of being fifteen and wanting someone else in such an easy-to-understand way. Before things get complicated, before you start thinking too much about it all, everything begins with this. It’s such a sweet moment that’s in direct contrast with some of the all-time worst kissing scenes ever put on film. No one over the age of fifteen should have to watch teenagers awkwardly learn how to kiss, but Lemonade Blessing perfectly and grossly captures the fumbling of learning.
There are so many unexpected layers to Lemonade Blessing that are best experienced through the film rather than a review. It’s funny and so specific to the late-aughts era that those who grew up at that time will recognize the cringiness that comes when an ASKfm page flashes on the screen. Who among us didn’t visit our crush’s ASKfm page to fuel our insatiable desire to know everything about them? Beyond these musings on teenage romance are genuinely hard questions about faith, parenting, and power. When you boil it down, Lemonade Blessing is about John and his simple desire to feel listened to and not feel alone. That’s what all of us want, even when our teenage years are long gone in the rearview mirror. Lemonade Blessing asks you to put your faith in its journey, to take a deep breath and learn something about yourself.
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