Cherry is based on a book about the life of Nico Walker. Walker, who wrote the book while he was serving time in jail, is an ex US Army Veteran who committed several bank robberies after he became addicted to drugs following his return home from the Iraq war.
The film, directed by the Russo Brothers (Avengers: Endgame, Captain America: Civil War), is a fine masterpiece based on Walker’s life. Hollywood’s newest and favourite movie star Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Far From Home, Chaos Walking) and the uprising actress Ciara Bravo (The Long Dumb Road) both give spectacular and memorable performances, depicting a difficult relationship between lead characters Nico and Emily. The film follows their struggles with PTSD and drug addiction. The connection between Holland and Bravo is amazing, aiding the realism of their acting on screen. Every scene with the leads is quite powerful, whether it is portrayed as a good or bad moment.
Cherry is a film that explores the reality of war, mental health, PTSD, drugs and violence. The Russo Brothers craft this film in a unique way, playing with different colours, non-linear storytelling, breaking the fourth wall and changing the aspect ratio in certain scenes. The techniques support the impact of emotional cues at different points in the film.
While watching this film, there were moments where I needed to look away because of how uncomfortable I was with specific scenes. That aspect is inherent, due to its hard topics.
“I was so impressed by its beautiful ending.”