'Cherry' Review | Not As Smart As It Wants To Be

Joe and Anthony Russo have taken a huge punt with this highly stylized Tom Holland vehicle. Cherry attempts to be a lot of things cinematically and touch on a lot of themes story-wise, and unfortunately only ends up as an average of its (many) parts.

Cherry chronicles an unnamed protagonist's (Holland) journey in falling in love, joining the army, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, developing an opioid addiction, and ultimately becoming a bank robber. It's a lot of story to tell in a near two and a half hour run time, which the Russo brothers segment into five chapters plus an epilogue.

For as much story as there is in Cherry, it is the relationship between the protagonist and Emily (Ciara Bravo) which grounds and threads the movie together. A young couple in love who stick together for better and for much worse, their story is a reminder that while sometimes we can hurt the ones we love most, it is human connections and relationships which provide the light in the darkness of life.

Holland is tested in Cherry with the Russo brothers tasking him with playing a college student in love, a scared private in the army, a hardened veteran, and finally, a reluctant criminal. He plays each of these roles well, only let down at times by an uneven script. Holland's chemistry with Bravo is palpable and the two play off each other with such visceral emotion you'd think these two have known each other for decades. Bravo herself is a stand out of this movie. This is surely to be her breakthrough role, and it will be exciting to see what she gets up to in the future.

The Russo's are aggressive in their direction on Cherry. From having the protagonist break the fourth wall on top of constant narration to flashy swinging camera work, the stylistic choices they make are reminiscent of The Losers (2010) with a dash of Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) thrown in for good measure. While it's clear to see that the Russo brothers were intending for Cherry to be a modern artistic endeavour, these effects end up distracting more from the story than benefiting it.

Cherry is based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Nico Walker and is an incredible story with touch points that will be relevant to many. The opioid epidemic in North America has destroyed many individuals and families. Countless number of soldiers returning from the Middle East in the 2000s and 2010s suffered, and continue to suffer, from unimaginable terrors and mental health issues. Cherry looks to give credence to a millennial story that is in stark contrast to the usual avocado toast narrative, and is a story very worthwhile but possibly better suited to a limited series format.

With great performances and compelling themes, Cherry is only betrayed by the ones telling the story.

Recommended for: Tom Holland fans and people interested to see what the Russo's do post-Avengers.

Cherry is available on Apple TV+.