A magnolia pictures release

83 minutes

Written by: Janicza Bravo & Brett Gelman

Official Selection

2017 Sundance Film Festival – NEXT – World Premiere

2017 SXSW

2017 BAM Cinemafest

Lemon: a person or thing that proves to be defective, imperfect, or unsatisfactory. Isaac Lachmann is a dud. Isaac Lachmann is 40. Isaac Lachmann is a man in free fall immobilized by mediocrity. His career is going nowhere. His girlfriend of ten years is leaving him. And his overbearing family doesn’t help matters. What did he do to deserve this? Things were supposed to work out differently for him. Isaac Lachmann had big dreams. Now he just watches as his life unravels.

“One day I had the pleasure of waking up in my thirties. I noticed a dark cloud hanging over my head and a crushing sensation in my chest. Most of what I had imagined or seen for myself had yet to materialize. The only things that I had were a pit in my stomach and a ball in my throat.

• 
  Janicza Bravo
  

Janicza Bravo is a writer/director based in Los Angeles. She was raised on an army base in Panama City, Panama. She studied directing and design for theatre at NYU. She's mounted plays in the states and abroad. Her foray into film began 5 years ago. Her first short, Eat, premiered at SXSW. Her follow up Gregory Go Boom played in competition at Sundance and took home a Short Film Jury award. Other shorts include Pauline Alone, Woman in Deep, Man Rots From The Head and Hard World for Small Things. The latter of which can be seen in virtual reality. Her work has also screened at AFI, BAM, Carnegie Hall and Tribeca. Filmmaker Magazine named her one to watch.  TV credits include First Dinner a segment for Amazon’s The New Yorker Presents and Juneteenth an episode of FX's award winning Atlanta starring Donald Glover.

Since Variety named him one of its “10 Comics to Watch” in 2010, Brett Gelman has shown film, TV, web and live audiences how he has a signature intensity and fearlessness that continues to earn praise from critics and peers alike.

Brett recently wrapped shooting David Lynch's "Twin Peaks” reboot and the second season of the critically acclaimed Judd Apatow series, “Love.” He can currently be seen in a major recurring role on Amazon’s smash hit, “Fleabag” as well as his third comedy special for Adult Swim, “Brett Gelman’s Dinner in America.”

Judy Greer’s career in both film and television has been prolific, as she has appeared in over 80 roles to date. She starred in the FX comedy series MARRIED opposite Nat Faxon, and also appeared in Marvel’s ANT MAN opposite Paul Rudd as well as the star of Jamie Babbit’s indie ADDICTED TO FRESNO. She shot Fox’s sequel to PLANET OF THE APES for director Matt Reeves and wrote her first book I DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU KNOW ME FROM. She continues to voice the role of “Cheryl” on FX’s award-winning animated secret agent spoof ARCHER, going into its eighth season. She also shot Jason Reitman’s MEN WOMEN AND CHILDREN in Austin, TX.

Judy was in MGM’s update of Brian DePalma’s classic CARRIE, in which she appeared alongside Julianne Moore and Chloe Grace Moretz for director Kimberly Peirce. Judy also made her Broadway debut opposite Katie Holmes in DEAD ACCOUNTS. She reprised her role as Kitty Sanchez, George Bluth (Jeffrey Tambor)’s assistant/girlfriend in the fourth season of cult classic ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT on Netflix on top of all of that.

Judy’s film work also includes Fox Searchlight’s Academy Award-winning THE DESCENDENTS, directed by Alexander Payne and starring George Clooney, as well as Jay and Mark Duplass’ JEFF WHO LIVES AT HOME, in which she starred opposite Ed Helms and Jason Segel. Her film credits include Robbie Fox’s dramedy PLAYING THE FIELD, Barry Blaustein’s PEEP WORLD, Magnolia Pictures’ BARRY MUNDAY and Ed Zwick’s LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS, in which she appeared opposite Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal. Most recently, she can be seen in WILSON, starring Woody Harrelson, Cheryl Hines and Laura Dern. This is only a small sample of Judy’s extensive film work.

Judy is no stranger to the small screen either, having appeared in a multi-episode arc on TWO AND A HALF MEN and a recurring role on the aforementioned ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT. Her additional television credits include the ABC comedy MISS GUIDED as well as CBS’s MAD LOVE opposite Sarah Chalke and Tyler Labine, along with guest appearances on MODERN FAMILY, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, THE BIG BANG THEORY, IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA, and CALIFORNICATION, just to name a few.

Most recently, she helmed her first feature film A HAPPENING OF MONUMENTAL PROPORTIONS. Written by Gary Lundy, A HAPPENING OF MONUMENTAL PROPORTIONS stars Common, Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney, Jennifer Garner, Anders Holm, Nat Faxon, Rob Riggle, Katie Holmes and Storm Reid to name a few. Produced by Principato-Young Entertainment and Depth of Field, this dark comedy will be released in 2017.

Michael Cera’s work includes the role of George-Michael Bluth in the Emmy Award® winning Fox series “Arrested Development,” as well as lead roles in the feature blockbusters “Superbad” and “Juno.” Other film roles include “Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist,” “Youth in Revolt,” “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” and comedy hit “This is the End.” Most recently, Michael Cera can be heard in animated blockbusters “Sausage Party” and “Lego Batman.”

Cera made his Broadway debut in Kenneth Lonergan’s award-winning play “This is Our Youth” following a sold-out and critically acclaimed run at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theater.

Cera starred in “Crystal Fairy” and “Magic Magic,” two films directed by award-winning Chilean director Sebastian Silva. Both films premiered to standing ovations and critical praise at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2013.

Nia Long has cultivated an expansive and impressive body of work and consistently turns out performances that prove why she is one of Hollywood’s most celebrated leading actresses. 2017 promises to be one of her most exciting years to date, showcasing Long in a multitude of mediums and roles that demonstrate her incredible versatility as an actress.

Most recently, Long was seen opposite Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele in New Line’s feature comedy KEANU, and also starred in THE SINGLE MOMS CLUB which co-starred her son, Massai. Additional film roles include FRIDAY with Ice Cube and Chris Tucker, MADE IN AMERICA with Whoopi Goldberg, LOVE JONES which won the Audience Award at Sundance and earned Long an NAACP Image Award nomination for “Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture,” SOUL FOOD, STIGMATA, THE SECRET LAUGHTER OF WOMEN opposite Colin Firth, ALFIE with Jude Law, and PREMONITION with Sandra Bullock.

Fred Melamed made his last Sundance appearance as Sam Soto, insecure king of movie trailers, in Lake Bell’s In a World…, winner of the 2013 Waldo Salt Award. On the set of that film, he met Janicza Bravo, co-writer and director of Lemon, and thence its star, Brett Gelman, with whom he collaborated on “Dinner with Friends.”

Fred was born in New York City to Lou and Syma Melamed. His father was a television producer, having contributed to such watershed comedies as “Car 54, Where Are You,” and “Sergeant Bilko.” He received his theatrical training at the Yale School of Drama, after which he appeared onstage at Minneapolis’ Guthrie Theater, The Kennedy Center, The Yale Repertory Theater, and as a founding member of Shakespeare & Co. In 1983, he made his Broadway debut in the Tony Award-Winning “Amadeus.”

On television, Fred stars with Maria Bamford on the Netflix original series, “Lady Dynamite.” He will appear in the upcoming seasons of “Fargo,” “Trial & Error” and “Brooklyn Nine Nine.” Other current roles include errant father Charles Cole on Hulu’s Golden Globe-nominated “Casual,” patrician chick-magnet J. Cronkite Valley Forge on “New Girl,” sportscasting legend Glen lose on “Now We’re Talking” and Sir Patrick Stewart’s messed-up psychiatrist Dr. Mendelson on Starz’s “Blunt Talk.” In the past, Melamed’s major roles have included Harvey Oberholt on “House of Lies,” Avi Mensusen on “Girls,” Professor Donald Holt on “Married,” Leonard Hillman on “Childrens Hospital,” Larry David’s name-dropping psychiatrist Arthur Thurgood from “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” tough-guy jurist Alan Karpman on “The Good Wife,” and irascible voiceover legend Fred Melamed opposite Robin Williams on “The Crazy Ones.”

In film, Melamed has had a long association with Woody Allen. He has appeared in 7 Allen films, including the Oscar-Winning Hannah and Her Sisters, Another Woman, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Radio Days, Husbands & Wives, Hollywood Ending, and Shadows and Fog. But it was for his portrayal of "sensitive" villain Sy Ableman, in Joel and Ethan Coen's A Serious Man, nominated for Best Picture at the 2010 Academy Awards, that Melamed became most widely known. For his performance, he won the Independent Spirit Robert Altman Award, New York Magazine listed his as among the Best Performances of The Decade, and Empire called Sy Ableman "One of The Best Coen Bros. Characters of All Time.” Melamed appeared on the Best Supporting Actor Oscar ballot of several American critics, including A.O. Scott of The New York Times, Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun-Times, and Michael Phillips of The Chicago Tribune. He was named by Harry Domenico Rossi as among The 25 Greatest Screen Villains of All Time. Fred collaborated once again with the Coen brothers on Hail, Caesar!

Upcoming film titles include Passengers, with Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt, and Brawl in Cell Block 99, opposite Vince Vaughn. Past films include the James Brown biopic Get On Up, Bone Tomahawk, opposite Kurt Russell and Richard Jenkins, The Dictator, with Sacha Baron Cohen and Sir Ben Kingsley, Peter Yates’ Suspect, with Cher, Dennis Quaid and Liam Neeson, The Good Mother, with Diane Keaton and Jason Robards, Roland Joffe’s The Mission, with Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons, James Toback’s The Pickup Artist, with Robert Downey, Jr. and Dennis Hopper, and Marshall Brickman’s Lovesick, with Dudley Moore and Sir Alec Guinness.

As a writer, he has produced screenplays including Girl of the Perfume River, A Jones for Gash, and is currently at work on “The Preservationist,” a television series inspired by the case of Melamed’s college friend, Edward Forbes Smiley III, a renowned cartographic expert and dealer, who admitted to having been the most brazen and prolific map thief of all time.

He lives with his wife and twin sons in Los Angeles.

Rhea Perlman has starred on television, stage and film for more than 30 years. A four-time Emmy winner for her role on the NBC TV show “Cheers,” she was nominated an unprecedented 10 times during the 11-year series and appeared in all 273 episodes.

Her next series “Me and My Grandma” will debut on the digital streaming service YouTube Red in 2017. Perlman was most recently seen on the FOX series, “The Mindy Project,” as Danny Castellano’s feisty mother, Annette Castellano. Other television credits include, “Kirstie,” “The Neighbors,” “Hung,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Kate Brasher”, “Hot in Cleveland” and “Pearl,” in which she both starred and served as executive producer. Perlman has also starred in more than 15 television movies, including “The Christmas Choir,” “Houdini,” “Secret Cutting” and “How to Marry a Billionaire.”

Recently, Perlman costarred with Blythe Danner, Sam Elliott, Mary Kay Place and June Squibb in Bleecker Street’s, “I’ll See You in My Dreams,” which premiered at Sundance in 2015 to rave reviews. Perlman played Mrs. Wormwood to her husband, Danny DeVito’s Mr. Wormwood in the film Matilda, which was directed by DeVito. The pair also worked together on the acclaimed TV series Taxi in which Perlman played DeVito’s Louie DePalma’s love interest, Zena. Other feature film credits include “The Sessions” with John Hawkes and Helen Hunt, “Sunset Park,” “Canadian Bacon” and “Carpool.”

In 2010 Perlman appeared onstage with her daughter, Lucy, in Nora and Delia Ephron’s Broadway hit “Love, Loss and What I Wore” at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. The pair previously performed together in the Broadway edition of the same play. In 2013, Perlman starred in the Northlight Theatre production of “Stella & Lou” directed by BJ Jones. Previous performances include, the Broadway production of “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife,” the Off-Broadway play “The Exonerated,” the Los Angeles production of “Last Night at Ballyhoo” and the London West End revival of “Boeing-Boeing.” Her performance as the forbearing housekeeper, Bertha, earned rave reviews.

Apart from her work as an actress, Perlman is also an author. She wrote a series of children’s books called Otto: Undercover, about a precocious young secret agent, who is also a racecar driver and inventor. It was published by HarperCollins.

Born in Brooklyn, Perlman graduated from Hunter College in New York with a Theatre degree and was later awarded an honorary doctorate in Fine Arts. She is a mother of three and a well-known children’s advocate recognized for her involvement in a variety of charities, including LA’s Best, Children’s Action Network, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Diabetes Center.

In 2010 she received the National Angel Award from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s Angels in Adoption. She also successfully campaigned for the passage of California Fostering Connections to Success Act (AB 12), which allows children who turn 18 the option to remain in the foster care system until the age of 21. She writes a blog about children in foster care for the Huffington Post.

Perlman lives with her family in Los Angeles.
Shiri Appleby (Ruthie)

Shiri jumped in front of the lens as a youngster appearing on such notable hits as Who’s the Boss, Doogie Howser MD, and Lawrence Kasdan’s I Love You To Death.

At 19 she had her breakout performance on the series Roswell, playing the leading role of Liz Parker. She went on to guest star in ER, Six Degrees, as well as Mike Nichols' Charlie Wilson's War, before playing the lead in the CW's Life Unexpected. Since then, Ms. Appleby has done recurring turns on NBC’s Chicago Fire, HBO’s Girls, and CBS’s Code Black.

Shiri currently stars in Lifetime's critically acclaimed dramedy UnReal, playing Rachel Goldberg, a producer working behind the scenes of a dating competition show, which received the Peabody Award. In 2016, Shiri was nominated for a Critics Choice Award for Best Actress for her work on the show.

He’s an Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated actor who is known from such iconic movies GET SHORTY, CITY SLICKERS, MR. SATURDAY NIGHT, THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT, and more recently THE 5 YEAR ENGAGEMENT, JACK RYAN, BAD TEACHER and DRAG ME TO HELL. He’s done almost a hundred guest star appearances and recently had a great arc in the last few episodes of CBS’s THE GOOD WIFE, which he has been recurring on since the pilot. He’s currently recurring on Showtime’s I’M DYING UP HERE. He’s also a successful TV director, and has directed over 75 episodes on 25 different TV Shows (all drama), and was a Producer on CW’s HART OF DIXIE as well. He’s currently doing episodes of the FOX Series LUCIFER.

A natural talent, with a striking presence and undeniable energy, Gillian Jacobs is one of Hollywood's most vibrant young actresses. Jacobs will next be seen in season two of the Netflix original series, LOVE, starring opposite Paul Rust. Produced by Judd Apatow, LOVE follows ‘Mickey’ (Jacobs) and ‘Gus’ (Rust) as they navigate the exhilaration and humiliations of intimacy, commitment and other things they are hoping to avoid. Season 2 is set to air in March 2017. Additionally, Jacobs will be seen in DEAN opposite director, Demetri Martin. The film, which won ‘Best Narrative Feature’ at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival, will be released later this year by CBS Films.

Most recently, Jacobs was seen starring alongside Keegan Michael Key in the Critics’ Choice nominated dramatic Comedy, DON’T THINK TWICE, written and directed by Mike Birbiglia. The film revolves around an improv group that loses its lease on its home theater at the same time that one of its cast members gets chosen for the biggest sketch-comedy show on television.

In 2015, Jacobs co-starred in the fourth season of the HBO hit series GIRLS as fan-favorite ‘Mimi Rose Howard,’ the multimedia artist who doesn’t agree with ‘Hannah’s’ (Lena Dunham) interpretations about art, and challenges her ideas. Jacobs made her directorial debut with THE QUEEN OF CODE, a documentary short film about Grace Hopper, the computer scientist and high-ranking naval officer. The short premiered on Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight website in 2015 as part of the SIGNALS docuseries, where filmmakers use data analytics to explore stories across political, economic, science, lifestyle and sports domains.

Previously, Jacobs starred in the critically acclaimed comedy COMMUNITY. She was nominated for a Broadcast Television Journalists Association Award in the category of "Best Comedy Supporting Actress" on behalf of her performance as “Britta.” Additionally, the show won a Broadcast Television Journalists Association award in the category of "Best Comedy Series" in 2012.

Her other film credits include BROTHER NATURE, VISIONS, HOT TUB TIME MACHINE 2, BLACK OR WHITE, LIFE PARTNERS, NO WAY JOSE, THE LOOKALIKE, WALK OF SHAME, THE BIG ASK, BAD MILO!, THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE, SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD, HELENA FROM THE WEDDING, THE BOX, CHOKE, which premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and won a Special Jury Prize for "Best Ensemble Cast" and GARDENS OF THE NIGHT. Additional credits include the Yahoo! web series TINY COMMANDO created by Ed Helms and co-starring Zachary Levi and TIM AND ERIC’s BEDTIME STORIES.

Jacobs received her Bachelor of Fine Arts at The Juilliard School and currently resides in Los Angeles.

Joi McMillon is a film editor known for her work on Barry Jenkins’ Academy-Award winning Best Picture MOONLIGHT which garnered her Best Editing nominations from the American Cinema Editors, Independent Spirit Awards, and London Film Critics’ Circle, amongst others. Lemon marks her second collaboration with Janicza Bravo, they first joined forces on Bravo’s short film “Man Rots from the Head.”

JANICZA BRAVO

Written by

JANICZA BRAVO & BRETT GELMAN

Produced by

PAUL BERNON

SAM SLATER

DAVID BERNON

Produced by

HOUSTON KING, p.g.a.

HAN WEST, p.g.a.

Executive Producers

CHRISTINE VACHON

DAVID HINOJOSA

Executive Producers

BRETT GELMAN

JANICZA BRAVO

Co-Producer

ROWAN RILEY

Starring

JUDY GREER

MICHAEL CERA
SHIRI APPLEBY

FRED MELAMED

RHEA PERLMAN

DAVID PAYMER

GILLIAN JACOBS

JON DALY

MEGAN MULLALLY

JEFF GARLIN

ELIZABETH DE RAZZO

With

NIA LONG

JASON MCCORMICK

Production Designer

GRACE ALIE

Editor

JOI MCMILLON

HEATHER CHRISTIAN

Costumes by

ARIEL GOODMAN-WESTON

Casting Director

EMILY SCHWEBER, CSA

Music Supervisor

TIFFANY ANDERS

BURN LATER PRODUCTIONS

Presents

KILLER FILMS/CYRK

Production

“LEMON”

(in order of appearance)

SARAH COSSART

Script Supervisor

LAURA JEAN BRANSKY

Casting Associate

Alyssa Carter

Background Casting

KELLY HUNT

Location Manager

MATTHEW STEVENS

Transportation Captain	LAUREN LEVINE
Driver	ANASTASIA LEVINE

Set Medic	KEVIN FITCH
Set Security	SCOOBY KENNEDY
Catering	FULL MOON PICKLES
Craft Services	EVAN LAURET

Studio Teachers	MARK ALKOFER
	CHERYL WATSON
	ELLEN TWEED

Key Set Production Assistant	VINCENT CARDINALE
First Team Production Assistant	NICOLE BROADWAY
Set Production Assistants	JACOB EPSTEIN
	ALEXANDRE WEYAND
	BRYANT WILFORD
	MERCEDEZ HOLMES
	JOHN MAYO
	NABY DAKHLI
Set Interns	JESSICA HUDSPETH
	THEO ALEJO
	ALEXANDRE WILSON

Title Design

ABBEY LUCK

Poster Design

CHASON MATTHAMS

Visual Effects Artist

DAVID MATHENY

BRIAN BENDER

DENIZ CUYLAN

Re-Recording Mixer

MARCELLO DUBAZ

Female Vocalist	HEATHER CHRISTIAN
Male Vocalist	DAVID ABELES
Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, & Saxophone	PATRICK BREINER
French Horn	MATT MARKS
Guitar	SASHA BROWN
Pipe Organ & Additional Instruments	HEATHER CHRISTIAN

Music Recorded at

THE ARBOR

in Beacon, New York

“A Million Matzoh Balls” Written by Dean Friedman Courtesy of Dean Friedman Hua Yue Jia Ji” (The Wedding) Written by Fred Jay & Joaquin Prieto Performed by Mona Fong Courtesy of Warner Music Hong Kong By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing	“Ting a Ling” Written by Grevine Gordon, Cleveland Browne, Rexton Gordon, Wycliffe Johnson Performed by Shabba Ranks Courtesy of Epic Records By arrangement with Sony Music Licensing “Dangerous” Written by Conroy Smith and Hugh James Performed by Conroy Smith Courtesy of VP Music Group, Inc.
“Love Me Forever” Written by Clement Dodd & Carlton Charles Manning Performed by Carlton & The Shoes Courtesy of Studio One By arrangement with Third Side Music	“One More Song” Written by Mayon Hanania Performed by Mayon Hanania Courtesy of David Ivar

BACKGROUND

Payroll Services by

CAPS

Insurance Provided by

Hiscox Insurance Company, Inc.

Featured Excerpts

The Seagull

By Anton Chekhov

Translation Marion Fell

1912

Confession Album

By Marcel Proust

1892

Cameras Provided by

Camera Dollies Provided by

CHAPMAN / LEONARD STUDIO EQUIPMENT, INC.

Wardrobe Provided by

Adidas

COLLECTION

GOOD GUYS

Jungmaven

MettleModa

Reader x Fields

The Filmmakers Wish to Thank:

Fritz Ertl

Brian Savelson

Mel Mathis

Pavlina Hatoupis

Angela Gibbs

Mark Dizik & John Oden

Debbie Lawrence

Braille Institute

John Baker

Adam Paulsen

Cesar Gamino

Eric & Susan Greene

Maiko Maya

Nathan’s Towing & Frank Fuentes

Jessica Slater

Sev Ohanian

Amy Chabot

Jax Crerar

Nat Sanders

Destin Cretton

Glen Mastroberte

Ashley Bernon

Tucker Bernon

Skylar Bernon

Uncle Dane

Kristin Lindstrom

Alexandre Wilson

Andrew Rogers

Jessica Lacy

Peter Trinh

Samantha Taylor Pickett

Alex Uhlmann

Eli Kagan

Alexis Funston

Laila Hashemi

Andy Campagna

John & Tracy Casasante

VJ’S Studio Rentals & Juan Ventura

Hadrian Belove

Falco Ink

Shannon Goss

Janice Roland

Adam Lisagor

Sandwich Video

JASH

Mickey Meyer

Brian Barcheski

Aries Spears

Amanda Hymson

Kevin Rowe

Mikey Schwartz-Wright

This motion picture is protected under the copyright laws of the United States and other countries throughout the world. Any unauthorized exhibition, distribution, or copying of this film or any part thereof may result in civil liability and criminal prosecution.

The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.

Copyright © 2017 Lemon a Motion Picture, LLC. All rights reserved.