Magnolia debuts first trailer for Janicza Bravo’s ‘Lemon’
Magnolia Pictures has debuted the first trailer for Janicza Bravo’s dramedy Lemon, set for limited theatrical release this August.
Lemon follows Isaac Lachmann, a man in freefall and immobilized by mediocrity. His career is going nowhere, he has an overbearing family, and to top it all off, his girlfriend of ten years is leaving him. His life is going nowhere and he has no ambition. Lachmann is left trying to work out what he did to deserve it all as he watches his life unravel before him.
The film, directorial debut from Bravo (Gregory Go Boom), was written as part of a collaboration with Brett Gelman (30 Minutes or Less, The Other Guys, Jobs) who also stars in the lead as Lachmann.
Lemon had its world premiere as part of the Next Fest selection at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. However, no distribution deal was made at the time, with Magnolia later homing in to acquire it at the South by Southwest Film Festival back in March.
The comedy-drama was produced by Paul Bernon (Drinking Buddies), David Bernon (The Intervention), and Sam Slater (Results). Christine Vachon (Carol) and David Hinojosa (White Girl) take executive producer credits, along with Gelman and Bravo. Lemon was co-produced by Rowan Riley (Christine).
Joi McMillon edited the film, having previously collaborated with Bravo on her short film Man Rots from the Head. McMillon received an Oscar nomination for her work on Barry Jenkins’ Academy Award-winning Moonlight.
Judy Greer (Archer), Michael Cera (Juno), Shiri Appleby (Swimfan), Fred Melamed (A Serious Man), Rhea Perlman (Matilda), Gillian Jacobs (Don’t Think Twice), Jon Daly (Zoolander 2), Martin Starr (This Is the End), Megan Mullally (Why Him?), Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Elizabeth De Razzo (The 33), Marla Gibbs (Madea's Witness Protection), and Nia Long (Friday) star alongside Gelman.
Director and Star Collaboration
Bravo and Gelman are married and co-wrote the screenplay. The project draws on personal and cultural elements from their backgrounds, giving the story an intimate edge that informs its deadpan humor and character choices. Their shared creative process shaped the tone and allowed Gelman’s performance to sit at the center without tipping into caricature.
Critical Reception
Lemon opened to mixed or average reviews. It earned a 55 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes from 47 reviews and a Metacritic score of 59 out of 100. Critics noted the film’s tart satire and acknowledged that some audiences might find its perspective too sour. The response highlighted strong supporting turns and Bravo’s assured handling of discomfort, while questioning whether the central character’s inertia sustained the full runtime.
Box Office and Commercial Performance
The limited release strategy produced modest returns. Lemon grossed roughly twenty-nine thousand one hundred dollars in the United States. Simultaneous video-on-demand placement helped reach viewers beyond traditional theatrical markets, though the numbers remained in line with expectations for an arthouse comedy without wide marketing support.
Legacy and Availability
Nearly a decade later the film has no major awards or widespread re-releases on record. It remains available for digital rental and purchase on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, giving new viewers a chance to sample Bravo’s first feature. The modest footprint underscores how certain Sundance titles can linger in the catalog without becoming fixtures in the wider cultural conversation.
The limited theatrical and VOD release occurred on August 18, 2017. The United States gross reached approximately twenty-nine thousand one hundred dollars. Runtime runs roughly eighty-three to ninety minutes, with an additional cast credit for David Paymer. Watch the trailer here.
