Ham on Rye 2020

The film begins in a vibrant park, where laughter fills the air at a child’s birthday party as someone tries to ignite a firework to entertain the youngsters. As the opening credits roll, we’re introduced to a pivotal day for the teenagers in Haley’s hometown, a day they’ve all meticulously prepared for, donning their finest attire, believing it to be the most significant day of their lives.

With a mix of nervous energy and eagerness, they embark on a scattered pilgrimage towards an uncertain fate. Among them, Haley Bodell walks with a more hesitant demeanor, doubting the traditions and the peculiar coming-of-age ceremony that awaits. She expresses her worries to her friends, Trish and Gwen, but they dismiss her concerns with laughter, urging her to shift her thoughts elsewhere. Meanwhile, a boy, overwhelmed by anxiety, suffers what appears to be a panic attack, leaving him mute as his friends move on to Monty’s without him after a brief discussion on how to assist him.

Upon reaching Monty’s, a beloved local delicatessen, the teens gather for an extraordinary ritual infused with food, dance, and romantic tension that promises to alter their lives dramatically. For some, this is a chance to escape the confines of suburbia, while others face the harsh reality of remaining rooted in their unremarkable hometown.

Feeling increasingly isolated, Haley eventually leaves Monty’s during the ceremony, only to find herself unable to reach either Trish or Gwen, who both partnered up during the ritual. Saddened and frustrated, she trudges home, repeatedly calling her friends with no response, and endures a strained dinner with her parents.

Meanwhile, the boy abandoned by his group suffers a misfortune, ending up in the hospital with a broken leg after falling into a manhole while attempting to reach Monty’s. His disappointed mother brings him dinner, only to leave him at an abandoned warehouse, giving him a sparse bag of supplies and leaving him to fend for himself.

In another part of town, a trio of burnout friends idly talk about their lives while munching on stolen Slim Jims in a desolate parking lot. They joylessly ride hoverboards before heading to a party filled with others like them, likely the ones left behind after the Monty’s rite. One guest is a frustrated aspiring musician stuck working at Monty’s, who, realizing his dreams are slipping away, dramatically destroys his guitar by burning its strings and smashing it with his foot as he rides home with his burnout pals.

The following morning, Haley continues her search to connect with her friends, visiting their homes yet coming up empty-handed. Feeling lost and alone, she returns to the park where the film commenced and watches the ongoing festivities of the child’s birthday party, reflecting on her own emotional turmoil.