Thanksgiving in films often feels like a gross exaggeration of the drama that can fill a family gathering. In Jenna Laurenzo's debut Led Bomb, the drama is pitched to an almost laughable degree. Yet the film has few laughs the land and that heightened sense of family contention quickly becomes unbearable.
The script doesn't seem to trust the authentic story at the root of this story. Lauren (Laurenzo herself) is headed home to introduce her girlfriend Hailey (Caitlin Mehner) to her family. They do not know she is a lesbian. Her parents (Kevin Pollak and Deirdre O'Connell) are hoping for grandkids. They quickly come to the conclusion that she is about to announce she is pregnant and in love with her roommate Austin (Brandon Michael Hall). They don't listen to her and Lauren isn't exactly excited to drop the bomb on them. Her grandparents (Cloris Leachman and Bruce Dern) don't do much to help. After witnessing Lauren and Hailey kissing, they assume she is some kind of side piece.
Lez Bomb often sits in the company of a sitcom, with overwritten situations that are meant to draw broad laughs. This is a shame because the heart of the film belongs to how these two women deal with the fears of coming out and how it hurts their relationship. This plot line never gets enough time to make an impact but it could have made Lez Bomb a better film.
Instead, we too often get characters that feel like caricatures of awful family members. The exception may be Dern as the grandpa. He elevates each scene. However, this simply isn't enough to make Lez Bomb bearable. At least at Thanksgiving, there is booze to help you get through.
2/5