Film Review: "Cherry" (2021).

From the directors of Avengers: Endgame comes Cherry. This crime drama film directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, adapted by Angela Russo-Otstot and Jessica Goldberg and based on the novel of the same name by Nico Walker. The film follows the wild journey of a disenfranchised young man from Ohio who meets the love of his life, only to risk losing her through a series of bad decisions and challenging life circumstances. The unhinged character drifts from dropping out of college to serving in Iraq as an Army medic and is only anchored by his one true love, Emily. When Cherry returns home a war hero, he battles the demons of undiagnosed PTSD and spirals into drug addiction, surrounding himself with a menagerie of depraved misfits. Draining his finances, Cherry turns to bank robbing to fund his addiction, shattering his relationship with Emily along the way.

In August 2018, the Russo Brothers acquired the film rights to Walker's novel, beating out offers from Warner Bros. and Sony, to pen and direct the adaptation. In March 2019, Tom Holland was attached to star in the title role. By mid October, Ciara Bravo, Jack Reynor, Michael Rispoli, Forrest Goodluck, Michael Gandolfini, Damon Wayans Jr., Thomas Lennon, Kelli Berglund and Jose Pablo Cantillo rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in late January 2020. Filming took place in Cleveland, Ohio, as well as Saudi Arabia and Morocco. Filming was initially reported to begin in mid July. The filmmakers had plans to shoot the film in Ohio, the setting of the novel and homestate of the Russo brothers, but due to the Greater Cleveland Film Commission's proposed changes in tax incentives were forced to move the planned shooting to California. However, the proposed figures were lowered from $100 million to $40 million, and production returned to the state. Because of this, filming did not begin until early October 2019. According to the Russo brothers, editing for the film took place as it was filmed to allow them to see what they were missing, and if they needed to "rewrite or reshoot" parts of the film. During the production, Holland lost thirty pounds for the role and had to gain it back within a short period of time for his future MCU films. In September 2020, Apple TV+ acquired distribution rights to the film for around $40 million. The film was theatrically released on February 26, 2021 and was released on Apple TV+ on March 12, 2021.

The film stars Holland, Bravo, Reynor, Rispoli, Goodluck, Gandolfini, Wayans Jr., Lennon, Berglund and Cantillo. The performances are unforgettable, particularly by Holland as the dreamy and masochistic-looking title character.

The depiction of PTSD, and then the subsequent destructive nature, is more potent and visceral because we feel the impact of the war on an innocent individual as well as the people around him. The film ultimately works because of the inherent dramatics of the script and the performance of Holland.

Simon says Cherry receives:

Also, see my review for Avengers: Endgame.