Cherry has a lot of identity problems that haze its vision. One thing is for sure though, Tom Holland carries the film superbly.
The Russo brothers have taken a step back from swashbuckling Marvel films to give us Cherry – an obscure story with no real identity or genre – and they have brought their favourite neighbourhood Spiderman with them. Tom Holland stars as “Cherry” an ex-soldier suffering from PTSD and a severe drug addiction to Oxycontin and Heroin (and whatever else he can get his hands on) after struggling to adjust to his life after his Army service, dragging his loved ones into his bottomless pit of self-despair in the process. Cherry is a bit all over the place, it does not have a fixed genre – or style for that matter – it seems to not know what it wants to be, slowly meandering around aimlessly in the dark, arms outstretched trying to grasp a hold of something… anything.
The film feels like a dream – its hypnotic, hallucinogenic scenes assisting this throughout. It also consists of random framing techniques that do not actually offer anything – just because you can do something does not mean you have to right? The unnecessary breaking of the 4th wall is a catalyst for this as well. However, I should talk about Tom Holland who is very impressive, offering us an extremely mature performance in a challenging role. A role where he can showcase the full range of his acting ability (away from shooting webs) to great effect. Holland carries the 2-and-a-half-hour film on his back, and without his authentic debonair, the film would have had an even uglier finish to it.
Cherry begins at the end (yes, I said that correctly) with a dishevelled Holland, as he is planning to rob a bank. Cherry then rewinds in time to Part 1 (it is broken up into 5 parts), where we are greeted by a younger Cherry as he begins his courtship with the adorable Emily (played by Ciara Bravo, who is also excellent in this film). The romance is portrayed as almost dreamlike; the two characters in their own private world, everything around them is blurred and their lives are perfect, so it seems. Part 2 involves Cherry joining the Army and attending basic training, where the usual berating of officers is experienced, like in so many war films of the past. Are there any nice Army officers in cinema? Part 3 see’s Cherry thrown into a war zone as a “fully trained” medic, where he experiences a multitude of trauma and loss amidst the action, leading to his inevitable downfall and crippling PTSD.
On his return home as a hero due to his exploits in Iraq, Cherry’s downward spiral begins, leading to chronic pain and hallucinations. The answer to rid him of his demons? Turning to prescriptions drugs, a gateway to a life of addiction in which he drags poor Emily down with him. Part 4 also involves a drug induced fantasy; a myriad of colours and effects to make it look pretty and extravagant (genre still has not been formulated at this point and probably never will). The final act starts at the beginning again, with Cherry in a whole heap of trouble, taking him down a path of crime, fuelled by desperation. The epilogue brings a shade of normality to the proceedings, the musical montage (the soundtrack throughout was a delight as well, any Van Morrison fans out there will be in for a treat) is a nice final touch, even if a tad cliché.
Cherry is a very try hard film that becomes messy and without a proper identity. It dared to be brave – which you can commend – but fell someway short, becoming a stockpile of different techniques and genres that the Russo’s must have felt they needed to showcase. Saying that, Cherry does have its good qualities; the acting from the two leads and the score are two positives. I did not really understand the mass amount of hate it got from various critics – it was just an average film that could have been so much better. For Holland though, it is a performance you would be proud to put on your portfolio and has shown people that he can be a very skilled and trustworthy actor.
Available to watch on Apple TV now.
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