Review by
Ben Peyton
Directed by: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo, Jack Reynor, Forrest Goodluck, Jeff
Wahlberg
After spending the last few years marvelling at Thor’s hammer and
polishing Captain America’s shield, the Russo brothers swap super heroes
for super soldiers in Cherry. Based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by
Nicholas Walker, some of the fantastical elements of their
story-telling remains, but this is a dark, dirty and drug-fuelled
departure for them.
Tom Holland’s pill-popping, deliberately unnamed student falls in
love with the wholesome Emily (Ciara Bravo). After their
relationship fails, he joins the army as she prepares to leave for
college. Quickly realising they can’t live without each other, they get
back together and give their romance one last shot. After getting married,
he completes his training as a medic and promptly ships off to join the
Iraq War as Emily continues her studies.
Upon his return, undiagnosed PTSD causes his life to spiral out of
control, dragging Emily down with him. Poor choices of friends, continued
substance abuse and eventually armed robbery bring tragedy to his already
desperate life. With the highs come the lows and these are explored with
an unflinching graphicness as redemption always seems to be just beyond
his reach.
The Russo brothers have created an intriguingly distorted and quirky world
with flashbacks and a narrative split into different parts. The fourth
wall is regularly broken by Holland while their use of colour reflects a
certain character’s mood. In an Ecstasy induced stupor, Holland’s world is
filtered with calm, pale colours until he sees Emily, radiant in pinks and
reds.
The film’s focus, however, is in highlighting the many corporations and
individuals that form part of the system that have failed so many Veterans
in the past. Here we have banks called The Bank or Shitty Bank, and as
Holland’s condition worsens, there’s even a Doctor Whoever. His
disillusionment with those in power deepens and anyone considering signing
up for a career in the military will most definitely think twice after
watching this film.
With this rather stylised introduction and an occasionally clunky script,
the opening half an hour veers dangerously close to being pretentious, but
that’s all forgotten when the bullets begin to fly. Not ones to shy away
from a battle scene, the Russo brothers make sure the brutal reality of
war is brought to life in horrifically vivid detail.
Holland is exceptional. Showcasing an intense vulnerability, wreaking of
desperation and with an arrogant, reckless contempt for his life and those
closest to him, his descent into addiction is a compelling watch.
Cherry proves that there’s so much more to him than spinning
webs. Not to be outdone is Bravo. Starting off as the all-American girl
next door, the journey she undertakes, purely because of love, is
heart-breaking and it’s a superb performance.
Cherry is a hard-hitting and emotionally charged insight
into how war heroes have been treated in America. Featuring two
outstanding lead turns, the Russo brothers explore the psychological
battles soldiers must face every day as they attempt to navigate the
challenges that reintegrating into society brings. Not an easy watch, but
an enthralling one.
Cherry is on AppleTV+ from March
12th.
