“Lemon” is “the story of a man who watches his life unravel after he is left by his blind girlfriend,” writer-director Janicza Bravo told us before the film’s premiere at Sundance. A newly released trailer for the dark comedy shows that the breakup and its aftermath lead to horribly cringe-inducing moments for Isaac (Brett Gelman, “Fleabag”) that the rest of us can laugh at and appreciate from a safe distance.
The film’s official synopsis describes a lemon as “a person or thing that proves to be defective, imperfect, or unsatisfactory” and identifies Isaac as a “dud.” But what an entertaining dud he is. Isaac’s many troubles — including bizarre public outbursts, saying exactly the wrong, inappropriate thing at the wrong time, and making other people intensely uncomfortable — lead to awkward and funny social carnage.
The trailer kicks off with Isaac at a humiliating audition, lying about both his age and weight. In a surprising twist, he books the job. But immediately after he tells his girlfriend of 10 years (Judy Greer) the good news she announces that she’s traveling to New York and explains that she doesn’t want him to come with her. “Have you ever thought about cleaning the slate? Making it new?” Isaac is asked. But it looks like starting over isn’t going to be easy for him.
When we asked Bravo, who co-wrote the script for “Lemon” with Gelman, her advice for other women directors, she said, “Being likable and/or being liked shouldn’t factor into how you get your work done. I’m not saying be a tyrant, but the work is first,” she explained. “Your vision and your voice. If it fails, it’s on you. If it does well, then everybody is gonna take some of your shine.” She added, “People are going to say and think whatever they want no matter how well you behave.”
Bravo’s directing credits include an episode of HBO’s Sarah Jessica Parker-starrer “Divorce” and FX’s critically acclaimed “Atlanta.”
“Lemon” will hit select theaters and VOD August 18. The ensemble cast includes Gillian Jacobs (“Love”), Megan Mullally (“Will & Grace”), Shiri Appleby (“UnREAL”), Michael Cera (“Superbad”), Martin Starr (“Silicon Valley”), Marla Gibbs (“The Jeffersons”), Rhea Perlman (“Cheers”), Elizabeth De Razzo (“Eastbound & Down”), and Nia Long (“Dear White People”).
