ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Joseph Perry writes for the film websites Gruesome Magazine, The Scariest Things, Horror Fuel, The Good, the Bad and the Verdict and Diabolique Magazine; for the film magazines Phantom of the Movies’ VideoScope and Drive-In Asylum; and for the pop culture websites When It Was Cool and Uphill Both Ways. He is also one of the hosts of When It Was Cool’s exclusive Uphill Both Ways podcast and can occasionally be heard as a cohost on Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror: The Classic Era podcast.

Official synopsis: Freshly tossed into a private Catholic high school by his devout mother, John (Jake Ryan) falls head over heels for a devious classmate ready to push his faith (and morals) to the brink with a series of increasingly uncomfortable actions, all in the name of love. 

You don’t have to have attended Catholic high school to fully appreciate writer/director Chris Merola’s terrific debut feature dramedy Lemonade Blessing. Its awkward, cringe-inducing, heartbreaking, and triumphant themes and scenes are relatable to everyone who has been a teenager or is currently going through those difficult years. 

Jake Ryan is marvelous as John, a freshman at a Catholic high school who lives under the strict rules of his strongly religious mother, Mary (Jeanine Serralles). The poor fella can’t even have a few moments of self-gratification in the tub without his mom hanging outside the door, haranguing him. 

Socially awkward John befriends some male classmates whose ideas of how relationships with girls should be handled come from watching porn videos. He soon falls for Lilith (Skye Alissa Friedman) — you’ll notice a pattern in certain character names — a girl with issues of her own, and whose strong personality John is no match for. She gives him increasingly unnerving tasks to perform to continue dating her, which leads the boy to question his faith, his behavior, and his place in the world.

Merola superbly balances the dramatic elements of John’s existential and philosophical journey with comical sequences — both of which are calculated to make viewers squirm and wince, from awkward makeout scenes filmed close up to blasphemies galore. 

Ryan and Friedman are outstanding as the teen couple navigating their first attempts at romance, and Serralles also shines as John’s struggling mother. The supporting players all give top-notch performances, as well.

Along with all of Lemonade Blessing’s awkwardness and discomfiture, the film boasts a big heart. It’s a truly remarkable coming of age story for today, but one that is highly relatable no matter a viewer’s age.

Lemonade Blessing screens as part of the 2025 Tribeca Festival, which runs June 4–15 in New York City. For more information, visit https://www.tribecafilm.com