LEMONADE BLESSING (2025)

(director/writer: Chris Merola; cinematographer: Harrison Kraft; editors: Edouard Fan, Abhineet Kumar; music: Daniel Futcher; cast: Jake Ryan (John Santucci), Jeanine Serralles (Mary Santucci), Skye Alyssa Friedman (Lilith/Rachel), Miles J. Harvey (Angelo), John Churchill (Bruce), Michael Oloyede (Brother Phil), Todd Gearhart (Pete Santucci), Keith William Richards (Mitch), Dina Drew (Clara), Nick Coleman (Mr. Meyers); Runtime: 100; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Samuel Ashurov, Raza Rizvi, Aruba Suizana, Chris Merola; YouTube; 2025)

“For a religious film, it gets to be a little edgy without mocking but showing how divisive religion can be.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Director-writer Chris Merola makes his first feature film this faith-based, coming-of-age, dramedy, that takes place on Long Island in 2012. It’s humorous in a corny way, well-produced and charmingly childish.

The suburban parents of the well-behaved, nerdy and timid 14-year-old John Santucci (Jake Ryan) divorce and his devout mother Mary (Jeanine Serralles) gets custody from her more secular hubby Pete (Todd Gearhart) and enrolls him in a private Catholic high school. He meets there and starts dating the rebellious atheist 15-year-old student Lilith (Skye Alyssa Friedman), forced to attend the religious school by her strict religious parents. She will make out with him only if he does sacrilegious acts against the church, like urinating on the communion wafer.

This challenge supposedly tests his faith against his sexual desires. She also lies to him about her real name and about her parents being divorced.

For a religious film, it gets to be a little edgy without mocking but showing how divisive religion can be. It provides a poignant ending for this unconventional but conventionally shot lightweight religious film.

It played at the Tribeca Film Festival.

REVIEWED ON 7/23/2025  GRADE: B-
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