CHERRY
Stunted adult Cherry discovers she’s pregnant and has 24 hours to decide whether or not to go through with an abortion. The film counts down the day one hour at a time while she encounters all the people in her life; bosses, coworkers, doctors, her boyfriend, and her family. Cherry is a master of bad decisions. Now, it’s time to grow up.
Alex Trewhitt brings flighty and raw energy to the titular role. She’s comfortable in her skin, and the camera loves her. Her nonchalance compels you to invest in Cherry’s wellbeing, whether because you’re disappointed in her or because you relate. Trewhitt leans into Cherry’s flaws, embodying the coming-of-age spirit of the film.
The handheld camera work works perfectly for this anxiety-ridden, real-time storytelling. The momentum seems to lull about halfway in, particularly when Cherry arrives home. But, writer-director Sophie Galibert, who co-writes with Arthur Cohen, has a clear vision of the weight of such a decision. I would gladly see what she has up her sleeve next. If you put the film into personal context to realize where you were at 25, Cherry nails it with a messy authenticity. Did Cherry make me want to buy a new set of rollerskates at 42 years old? Absolutely.
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There’s an intense charm about Tom Holland. He commands the screen with his ability to both put you at ease and surprise you. You just believe him. If that’s not the very definition of great acting, I’m not sure what is. His narration controls the overall atmosphere of the film from the get-go. While Holland gets to explore the dark humor in it all, you’re constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop for Cherry. The military PTSD exacerbates his already existing sadness which inevitably leads to addiction… Which leads to a string of bank robberies.
Cherry is a self-destructive story of a young man with no sense of direction, controlled by impulse rather than logic. It could just as easily been an entire series. There’s a lot jammed into its two hour and twenty-minute run. If I’m being perfectly honest, it’s almost too much. With 30 minutes left, I had to pause and come back later. To clarify it was very engaged it was just a lot to ingest in one sitting. Had this played in theaters, I worry an audience wouldn’t be able to stick with the length. Outside of that one concern, Cherry is highly entertaining thanks to Holland’s full commitment to Jessica Goldberg, and Angela Russo-Otstot‘s phenomenal screenplay, and the stylistic choices of The Russo Brothers’ overall aesthetic choices.
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