From Omeleto.
A young man meets the parents.
GUACAMANIA is used with permission from Andrew J. Lee. Learn more at https://eboshiplatinum.com.
Mitch is meeting his girlfriend Kelly’s family for the first time, and he is determined to impress them — or at least not embarrass himself. He has made his prize-winning homemade guacamole for the occasion, which he hopes will make a good impression.
But when a family secret breaks out and causes a big fight between Kelly and her parents. Mitch is mostly a bewildered bystander, but as the family argues, he faces an encroaching culinary emergency of his own: his guac is starting to brown and he will stop at nothing to keep it fresh.
Directed and written by Andrew J. Lee, this snappy, irreverent short comedy is essentially an energetically gonzo take on a well-loved family drama trope. With its potential for clashing personalities and agendas, the family dinner is a prime narrative opportunity, which the storytelling mines for maximum humor. The fun is in the development of two different storylines, as chaotic family secrets throw an emotional grenade into an event while a bystander grapples silently with a dilemma of his own.
The film has a saturated cheekiness, both in the tone and the visuals, which leverages zooms, push-ins and sudden changes in light, color and framing in a way that wouldn’t be out of place in a campy comedy or a vintage martial arts film. The setup, though, is relatable, and Mitch’s anxieties in meeting his girlfriend’s family are easily understandable. He is eager to impress, but the parents are welcoming and happy to give pride of place on the table to the guacamole he’s brought to share.
But when Kelly learns that her beloved family dog is actually alive — and her parents hid the truth from her — all hell breaks loose. The truth is wild, which the clever writing elaborates upon to ludicrous effect, and Kelly is upset, arguing with her parents, who defend themselves. But while all this is going on, Mitch is stealthily trying to keep his guacamole from turning brown and therefore ruining his prized culinary concoction, and his efforts get more and more strenuous, even as the rest of the characters remain oblivious.
Actor Jon Moon perfectly captures both Mitch’s rising, desperate anxiety and hidden efforts, playing both relatable emotion and farcical comedy, while Kelly’s arguments with her parents prove Tolstoy’s maxim that families are unhappy in ways unique and slightly ridiculous to them. Both strands of the narrative intensify at the same time, fizzling with tension until they both explode. When it does, the clash of family drama, comedic farce and Hong Kong action stylings at the heart of GUACAMANIA finally collide, making for a unique, fun and entertaining romp through familial chaos.
