"CHERRY" // TRIBECA 2022
CHERRY, played by Alex Trewhitt, is a roller skating sassy woman who's stuck in an arrested development and can't seem to find her way to adulthood, keeping it constantly at an arms length. The entire plot hinges around the fact that Cherry, a woman who isn't ready to grow up, has found out that she is unexpectedly pregnant. Because of how far along she is, she only has a few days to decide whether she is going to get an abortion or keep the child. She's in a relationship with the father, but just barely (he cares much more about his DJ career than her), can't seem to keep a job and a touch and go relationship with her family. All in all, she often feels like a jumbled mess, so even if she were to get an abortion, she doesn't have the money to do so but also doesn't know if she could raise a child on her own.
With a very strong and winning performance by Alex Trewhitt, Cherry is a simple film with a likable and relatable lead. The film is often funny and even poignant at times. Yet at other times, it also feels like a rambling mess. I found myself always drawn in by Trewhitt's performance yet also iching for the end to come. There aren't any real surprises, but it is a sweet and simple story, one though that feels like it needs a bit more meat in its bones to really soar.
GRADE: C+
WRITTEN BY Sophie Galibert, Arthur Cohen DIRECTED BY Sophie Galibert STARRING Alex Trewhitt, Joe Sachem, Dan Schultz, Sandy Duarte, Alice Bang, Hannah Alline, Melinda DeKay, Angela Nicholas, Charlie S. Jensen, Darius Levanté SELECTED AS PART OF THE 2022 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL. FOR MORE INFO: CHERRY