Greetings again from the darkness. Those teenage years can be so bumpy. One day is the worst ever, and the next day is the best. Dealing with parents is frustrating because they just don't understand. Making friends is impossible. Today they like you and tomorrow they join with others in making fun of you. Clothes and shoes are never right. School is a waste of time. It's a wonder anyone ever reaches their twenties. In his first feature film, writer-director Chris Merola doesn't try to tackle all aspects of teenage misery, rather just enough to make sure we recognize it.
John Santucci (Jake Ryan, ASTEROID CITY 2023, EIGHT GRADE 2018) is informed by his mother Mary (Jeanine Serralles, INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, 2013), "You're always going to be good." She says it so matter-of-factly that John takes it to heart, hoping never to disappoint her. In fact, he so wants to please her that he follows her mandate of taking Eucharist Minister Training at the Parochial School where she has registered him.
On his first day at the school, he locks eyes with Lilith (Skye Alissa Friedman) and it seems their paths intersect a few times as if the universe is forcing them together. It would be easy to say opposites attract here. John is a bit shy and naïve, while Lilith is rebellious and adventurous. However, they also have common ground. John has a controlling mom, while Lilith has a controlling dad.
This relationship of oddballs develops in a strange way. The two exchange notes with Lilith tasking John with ever more daring stunts to earn the next level of sexual fun/experimentation. Lilith is one of those big talkers whose public façade hides the same insecurities as every other kid. Of course, John is too green to notice and fights every urge he has to continue following her directions. Brother Phil (Michael Oloyede) runs the ministry program and sees right through John, and Angelo (Miles J Harvey) is John's friend who adds to the peer pressure and cover-up of teen insecurities.
Jake Ryan is superb here, and plays John in the manner of a subdued Jason Schwartzman; however, it's relative newcomer Skye Alissa Friedman who is the standout performer here. She brings a depth to the role that most actors would have likely missed, capturing the strain and confusion of the age. Together, the two make us care about teenagers that aren't our own ... quite impressive. Filmmaker Merola uses extreme close-ups quite often, sometimes making things a bit uncomfortable (in an intentional way). We look forward to his next project.
World premiere at Tribeca Film Festival on June 5, 2025.
