Guacamole Yesterdays (2024)

-Written by Kristin Ciliberto.

Guacamole is undoubtedly a delicious and vibrant staple in Mexican cuisine; however,

Guacamole Yesterdays sounds like a silly film title! Director Jordan Noel mixes up a recipe and an emotional story of a woman who is dealing with heartbreak and having to let go of the past.

A grief-stricken cartoonist, Ames (Sophie Edwards), is struggling due to the separation from her husband Franklin (Randy Havens). She sees a therapist (Adetinpo Thomas) who employs her to use experimental technology (that makes her an unreliable narrator) to let her revisit and reshape her memories. Ames uses this technology to help her find some kind of closure and face the reality of everything she has been avoiding. However, the fine line between memory and reality begins to blur.

When a film opens with a quote, it grabs my attention. Guacamole Yesterdays began with two quotes. The first quote comes from Soren Kierkegaard: “Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forward.” I understood this concept as I looked back and reflected on experiences, and moved forward without knowing the outcome or the future, which is an interesting quote to open with. The second quote is lyrics to the 1991 Boyz II Men song “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday”: “I’ll take with me the memories to be my sunshine after the rain. It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday,” which is a song about how hard it is to let go of the past when there are many happy and meaningful memories. These quotes help capture the story that audiences embark on with Ames. 

Noel is able to capture all of the sweet memories, and some audiences will not be able to deny that Ames and Franklin are a cute couple; that shows a nice dynamic. Relationships can be challenging, and they don’t always emotionally connect, no matter how hard the couple tries. Yet, Guacamole Yesterdays shows the conflicts this couple faces that led to a failing marriage. This all leads up to an unfortunate emotional twist and an ending that is sure to shed a few tears; but it is all rushed. Hudson Phillips wrote a script that is sharp and witty, with charming characters. Edward’s performance particularly stands out. Ames’ character is learning to heal from her heartbreak while audiences see her time with Franklin, who is struggling with his mental health. He’s tired and emotionally distant at times from Ames. His character comes as a fractured individual dealing with depression. The story is carefully grounded and balances the comedic and dramatic elements.

Guacamole Yesterdays is slightly similar to one of my recent watches, Daniela Forever, directed by Nacho Vigalondo (a highly recommended watch), that explores similar themes and pulls some inspiration from Michel Gordy’s 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Guacamole Yesterdays is a breezy 90-minute watch that will resonate with some audiences, and as a final product, it is an intimate indie film.

Directed by Jordan Noel. 

Written by Hudson Phillips. 

Starring Sophie Edwards, Randy Havens, Adetinpo Thomas, Charity Cervantes, Megan McFarland, etc. 

7.5/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING