by Josh Sewell
Cherry
(Rated R for graphic drug abuse, disturbing and violent images, pervasive language, and sexual content. Opens in select theaters on February 26 and available on Apple TV+ starting March 12.)
Directors Anthony and Joe Russo went in an unexpected direction for their follow-up to the record-shattering, widely beloved Avengers: Endgame. Although they reunite with frequent collaborator Tom Holland, this is light-years away from Spider-Man saving the planet from genocidal aliens.
Instead, the talented siblings tackle one of the nation’s most destructive crises: the opioid epidemic ravaging Americans from all walks of life. Based on Nico Walker’s semi-autobiographical novel, Cherry is a dark coming-of-age tale centered on an unnamed protagonist (Holland) who meets Emily (Ciara Bravo), his soulmate, only to watch their lives fall apart through a series of bad decisions.
It begins when they meet in college; continues when he joins the army to avoid heartbreak when she decides to finish school in Canada; and spirals once he returns home and develops a drug habit to cope with his undiagnosed PTSD. As Emily attempts to help him tackle his addiction, their finances evaporate and he’s forced to rob banks to fund his destructive lifestyle.
The Russos balance the depressing subject matter of Cherry with some quirky, stylistic choices that initially offer some welcome dark comedy. Several elements gave me big Fight Club vibes, including bland character names like Sgt. Whomever; vulgar bank titles; typed documents that only say “blah, blah, blah”; and a jarring POV shot that made me cackle when I realized where the camera was supposed to be. However, those tension-relieving laughs evaporate once the story hits its ultra-bleak second half.
The film is epic in scope, covering more than a decade of the characters’ lives, spanning several countries, and clocking in at nearly two-and-a-half hours. As such, it feels unwieldy and repetitive at times.
I’m guessing screenwriters Angela Russo-Otstot (the directors’ sister) and Jessica Goldberg were trying to convey the cyclical nature of addiction, but they accomplished their goal a bit too successfully. Despite the propulsive editing and rapid-fire dialogue, there are large portions of the movie that lose narrative momentum due to all the wheel-spinning.
Fortunately, Cherry is anchored by Holland’s revelatory performance. Fans of the recent Spider-Man franchise already know he’s charismatic and funny, and those two traits do wonders for his unnamed character here; he makes some truly vile choices that destroy not only him, but also ruin the lives of everyone around him. Holland’s innate charm keeps the audience invested in the protagonist when they might write off a less likable actor much earlier in the story.
Bravo, although she’s certainly a striking presence onscreen, isn’t quite as adept at tackling the film’s darkest elements. Elaborating further would require getting into spoilers, so I’ll just say the screenplay requires her to do some heavy lifting that she can’t quite manage. She’s fantastic in the first half, though – you can totally see why Holland’s character would instantly fall in love with Emily.
I respect that the Russo brothers wanted to branch out with Cherry, and I appreciate the stylistic touches they brought to an otherwise familiar addiction story. While the movie’s not entirely successful, it’s never boring and it made me curious to see what the future holds for them.
Grade: B-
Test Pattern
(Not rated, but contains a depiction of sexual assault, thematic elements and strong language. Now playing via Kino Marquee’s virtual cinema.)
Remember the name Shatara Michelle Ford. The writer-director recently made her feature debut with Test Pattern, a harrowing drama featuring two incredible performances at its center, which is sure to mark the beginning of a bright future in the film industry.
Although I can’t say I “enjoyed” her breakthrough work, I cared about the main character immediately and grew simultaneously furious and devastated in record time as her journey unfolded. That certainly speaks to Ford’s talent for world-building and her ability to craft authentic, engaging protagonists. I’m already a big admirer and can’t wait to see what she tackles next.
Test Pattern is an empathetic, heartbreaking combination of genres – including romance, crime drama and procedural thriller – that chronicles a young couple’s attempt to navigate the systemic horrors of American healthcare and law enforcement in the aftermath of a sexual assault. When Renesha (Brittany S. Hall) wakes up following a night out with her girlfriend (Gail Bean), she realizes she’s in bed with a stranger and no clear memory of how she got there. Once she gets home, she and her boyfriend Evan (Will Brill) drive from hospital to hospital in search of a rape kit, only to face cold, faceless bureaucracy at every turn.
While the premise is unquestionably gut-wrenching, Ford makes the brilliant choice to give viewers the pieces of the story in nonlinear order. As a result, viewers jump back and forth through time from the assault and its aftermath to pivotal moments in Renesha and Evan’s relationship.
Because we encounter the tragedy they’re facing in the present, it makes past milestones – including their meet cute, their first date, their first intimate encounter, etc. – far more bittersweet. Hall and Brill are phenomenal, breathing a lifetime’s worth of experience into their characters in a brief 82 minutes.
Simply put, Test Pattern is the best film I’ve seen so far in this young year, but good lord is it brutal. (Obviously, it comes with a giant trigger warning for viewers who are particularly sensitive to the subject matter.) However, those who can endure will be rewarded with an insightful, thought-provoking story that asks important questions about what we value and tolerate in modern society.
Grade: A-
(Rated R for graphic drug abuse, disturbing and violent images, pervasive language, and sexual content. Opens in select theaters on February 26 and available on Apple TV+ starting March 12.)
Directors Anthony and Joe Russo went in an unexpected direction for their follow-up to the record-shattering, widely beloved Avengers: Endgame. Although they reunite with frequent collaborator Tom Holland, this is light-years away from Spider-Man saving the planet from genocidal aliens.
Instead, the talented siblings tackle one of the nation’s most destructive crises: the opioid epidemic ravaging Americans from all walks of life. Based on Nico Walker’s semi-autobiographical novel, Cherry is a dark coming-of-age tale centered on an unnamed protagonist (Holland) who meets Emily (Ciara Bravo), his soulmate, only to watch their lives fall apart through a series of bad decisions.
It begins when they meet in college; continues when he joins the army to avoid heartbreak when she decides to finish school in Canada; and spirals once he returns home and develops a drug habit to cope with his undiagnosed PTSD. As Emily attempts to help him tackle his addiction, their finances evaporate and he’s forced to rob banks to fund his destructive lifestyle.
The Russos balance the depressing subject matter of Cherry with some quirky, stylistic choices that initially offer some welcome dark comedy. Several elements gave me big Fight Club vibes, including bland character names like Sgt. Whomever; vulgar bank titles; typed documents that only say “blah, blah, blah”; and a jarring POV shot that made me cackle when I realized where the camera was supposed to be. However, those tension-relieving laughs evaporate once the story hits its ultra-bleak second half.
The film is epic in scope, covering more than a decade of the characters’ lives, spanning several countries, and clocking in at nearly two-and-a-half hours. As such, it feels unwieldy and repetitive at times.
I’m guessing screenwriters Angela Russo-Otstot (the directors’ sister) and Jessica Goldberg were trying to convey the cyclical nature of addiction, but they accomplished their goal a bit too successfully. Despite the propulsive editing and rapid-fire dialogue, there are large portions of the movie that lose narrative momentum due to all the wheel-spinning.
Fortunately, Cherry is anchored by Holland’s revelatory performance. Fans of the recent Spider-Man franchise already know he’s charismatic and funny, and those two traits do wonders for his unnamed character here; he makes some truly vile choices that destroy not only him, but also ruin the lives of everyone around him. Holland’s innate charm keeps the audience invested in the protagonist when they might write off a less likable actor much earlier in the story.
Bravo, although she’s certainly a striking presence onscreen, isn’t quite as adept at tackling the film’s darkest elements. Elaborating further would require getting into spoilers, so I’ll just say the screenplay requires her to do some heavy lifting that she can’t quite manage. She’s fantastic in the first half, though – you can totally see why Holland’s character would instantly fall in love with Emily.
I respect that the Russo brothers wanted to branch out with Cherry, and I appreciate the stylistic touches they brought to an otherwise familiar addiction story. While the movie’s not entirely successful, it’s never boring and it made me curious to see what the future holds for them.
Grade: B-
(Not rated, but contains a depiction of sexual assault, thematic elements and strong language. Now playing via Kino Marquee’s virtual cinema.)
Remember the name Shatara Michelle Ford. The writer-director recently made her feature debut with Test Pattern, a harrowing drama featuring two incredible performances at its center, which is sure to mark the beginning of a bright future in the film industry.
Although I can’t say I “enjoyed” her breakthrough work, I cared about the main character immediately and grew simultaneously furious and devastated in record time as her journey unfolded. That certainly speaks to Ford’s talent for world-building and her ability to craft authentic, engaging protagonists. I’m already a big admirer and can’t wait to see what she tackles next.
Test Pattern is an empathetic, heartbreaking combination of genres – including romance, crime drama and procedural thriller – that chronicles a young couple’s attempt to navigate the systemic horrors of American healthcare and law enforcement in the aftermath of a sexual assault. When Renesha (Brittany S. Hall) wakes up following a night out with her girlfriend (Gail Bean), she realizes she’s in bed with a stranger and no clear memory of how she got there. Once she gets home, she and her boyfriend Evan (Will Brill) drive from hospital to hospital in search of a rape kit, only to face cold, faceless bureaucracy at every turn.
While the premise is unquestionably gut-wrenching, Ford makes the brilliant choice to give viewers the pieces of the story in nonlinear order. As a result, viewers jump back and forth through time from the assault and its aftermath to pivotal moments in Renesha and Evan’s relationship.
Because we encounter the tragedy they’re facing in the present, it makes past milestones – including their meet cute, their first date, their first intimate encounter, etc. – far more bittersweet. Hall and Brill are phenomenal, breathing a lifetime’s worth of experience into their characters in a brief 82 minutes.
Simply put, Test Pattern is the best film I’ve seen so far in this young year, but good lord is it brutal. (Obviously, it comes with a giant trigger warning for viewers who are particularly sensitive to the subject matter.) However, those who can endure will be rewarded with an insightful, thought-provoking story that asks important questions about what we value and tolerate in modern society.
Grade: A-
Reach out to Josh Sewell on Twitter @IAmJoshSewell
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