Cherry

Tom Hollands gives a fantastic performance in this powerful and insightful movie. The story speaks so well about PTSD, drug abuse and crime and how war veterans are so poorly cared for. Tom Hollands shows what a truly talented actor he is, wonderfully supported by Ciara Bravo. There are some really nice touches with side dialogue to the camera and sign posting.

Spider-Man has grown up and definitely come home. This isn't a movie to watch with the kids and it certainly isn't happy viewing for the most part, but it is nevertheless great viewing and kept me interested throughout. Looking forward to seeing more from the grownup Tom Holland.

There's a lot of critics out there. And a lot of them seem very keen to slate this as much as possible, beyond what seems objectively reasonable.

What I would say is this - ignore them all (good and bad) and make your own mind up. And remember this is very close to a true story, written by a man who fell down the darkest of holes having been failed by the systems and freedoms he swore to protect.

Cherry is just an ordinary guy. There's nothing remarkable about him. And the disordered start of this film (which I struggled with to be honest) reflects the erratic nature of his drifter existence.

As the film progresses the style falls into order and then back into disorder, reflecting the rollercoaster ride of Cherry's horrific wartime experience and descent into drug addiction as he struggles to erase what he saw. The Russo Brothers together with DOP Newton Thomas Sigel, use a range of clever tricks to put you in Cherry's boots. From colour tones to aspect ratios, it takes you from soft warm love to cold hard conditioning in an instant.

I personally really enjoyed these choices, and look forward to watching it again to see what other details I might have missed on first viewing. I understand some people might feel that there's too much movie going on, but it was more than fine for me (all personal taste I guess!).

The acting from Tom Holland is exemplary and, at times, frightening. I cannot think what it must have been like to have to go to those places to portray the pain and fear he did and he should be applauded for taking such a leap with this role - he will always carry the weight of Spider-Man on his shoulders but he should be at least respected for wanting to branch out into challenging roles such as this. Ciara Bravo was excellent too, although I think I would have liked a bit more character arc from her (not her fault of course). I thought the supporting cast did well too in their roles - none of them particularly likeable (Jeff Wahlberg's Jimenez a rare exception) as they support and enable Cherry's demise.

Overall, this is a movie which really stayed with me, it still does. It's eye-opening, it's desperately sad, and it's incredibly powerful.

Cherry (2021)

7/10 🍒

"The Russo Brothers return to the director's helm for a solid entry that may be shaky here and there however is worth the watch for Holland and Bravo alone."

Cherry is a film that isn't for everyone, and that says a lot already. Sure, it's a book adaptation which already sounds like a red flag because many of them aren't as good as the source material, however Cherry can be called an exception to an extent. The film definitely boasts a beautiful style in camera work and craft because of how smart these techniques are used. The Russos definitely make their mark and do it ever so boldly. The real issue with Cherry however is the way it explains itself. The pacing and tonality tends to be misguided by an almost TOO formulaic approach, however doesn't make for a bad viewing experience either thanks to Holland's gut-wrenching performance as Nico Walker. Holland loses himself in the role so masterfully, I nearly forgot that this was the same actor that helmed the Spider-Man throne. I'd never felt more sorrow for a character since John Coffey in The Green Mile. Ciara Bravo also steals the spotlight constantly with her transitional performance that quite honestly surprised me. Onscreen together, both Holland and Bravo, is nothing short of perfect chemistry. Even if the writing gets cheesy sometimes, it's a relieving cheesy rather than a revolting type. This film did away with itself and it shows.

Verdict: Cherry is a solid attempt at something different for the Russos and a great excuse to give Holland and Bravo a good taste of grueling acting. The film may not have been what we wanted it to be, but I feel that it still has something good, if not special, to offer.

Tom Holland's acting was phenomenal, 11/10. Showcased his true talent - magnificent. The Russo Brothers over did it with how they set things up though; trying to be too smart in my opinion.

Very briefly: Cherry is a brilliant movie and a fitting translation of the story of a real person. The pacing feels chaotic at times, compared to traditional movies, because real stories aren't paced like screenplays. The cinematography is nothing short of stunning, and most of the events are ugly to give a hint of the ugliness that is being translated from real life to a book and to a movie. Tom Holland once again flexes his range as an actor, and the Russo Brothers continue to elevate cinema. Ciara Bravo didn't have too much to do in the movie, but I personally believe she aced her tonally contradicting scenes.