Watch Dear Lemon Lima

Dear Lemon Lima is a coming-of-age indie comedy-drama film that explores the themes of adolescent angst, cultural identity, and first love. Directed by Suzi Yoonessi, the movie was released in 2009 and stars a talented young cast, including Savanah Wiltfong, Shayne Topp, and Eleanor Hutchins. The story follows 13-year-old Vanessa Lemor, also known as Lemon, who is struggling to fit in at her private school in Fairbanks, Alaska. Lemon is a quirky and creative girl who is obsessed with her Inupiaq heritage and dreams of becoming a songwriter. However, she feels like an outsider among her mostly white classmates who bully her for her eccentricities and cultural differences.

To cope with the challenges of middle school, Lemon immerses herself into a fantasy world of her own creation, in which she interacts with imaginary characters like her pet fish, her stuffed animals, and her dead grandfather. She also finds comfort in her friendship with Philip Georgey, a sweet and nerdy boy who shares her love of music and letters.

When Lemon's popular ex-boyfriend, Tracy, starts dating her arch-nemesis, Jessica Ramsey, and forms a team to compete in the school's annual Snowstorm Survivor competition, Lemon becomes determined to win the contest and prove her worth. With Philip's help, Lemon recruits a team of misfits, including the school janitor, her Japanese cousin, her kleptomaniac best friend, and a Ukrainian exchange student who only speaks broken English. Together, they prepare for the challenge of surviving in the Alaskan wilderness and facing their fears.

As the Snowstorm Survivor contest unfolds, Lemon's team faces hilarious and unexpected obstacles, including snowball fights, frozen lakes, and rivalries with other teams. Meanwhile, Lemon starts receiving anonymous letters from a secret admirer who expresses his admiration for her quirky personality and unique perspective on life. Lemon is thrilled to discover that the letters are from no other than Georgey's older brother, a handsome and mysterious college student named Victor. However, Lemon soon realizes that her infatuation with Victor may cause conflicts with her friendship with Philip.

Throughout the movie, Lemon struggles to balance her dreams, her identity, her friendships, and her romantic feelings. She learns to take risks, to speak up for herself, to appreciate her heritage, and to accept the flaws and differences of others. The movie ends with a heart-warming and uplifting scene that celebrates the power of music, imagination, and self-discovery.

Dear Lemon Lima is a delightful and charming movie that appeals to teenage audiences and anyone who has ever felt like an outsider or a dreamer. The movie captures the beauty and harshness of Alaska's landscape, the quirkiness and warmth of its people, and the struggles and joys of growing up. The movie's soundtrack features original and catchy songs, written and performed by the director and the cast. Overall, Dear Lemon Lima is a gem of an indie film that showcases the talents of its young actors, its creative team, and the indie film community.

Dear Lemon Lima is a 2011 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 27 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.3.