Cherry Review: Tom Holland Dazzles with a Devastating Look At War and Addiction

Cherry is arguably a difficult film to love. But there’s nothing to argue about when it comes to the calibre of talent present in this cast.

This film is a powerful example of how Tom Holland’s range can elevate any material — even material as bleak and depressing as Cherry‘s.

It’s not difficult to see why the Russo Brothers wanted the Marvel web-slinger to lead this cinematic war story. He brings an incredible depth to Cherry, a young soldier who struggles to hold onto the love of his life as he battles PTSD and addiction.

Told in several theatrical acts, this film plays out much like a Shakespearian play and as we are quickly learning, there’s no young actor better suited for the stage than Holland.

Holland’s heartwrenching performance as Cherry solidifies that his success, regardless of the film genre, should be a given. He once again brings softness and depth to his character’s actions, allowing the audience to be privy to his thought process in real-time.

The overlapping narration is a nice touch, but it’s not entirely necessary with an actor so skilled at portraying his intentions physically rather than verbally.

There is a familiarity in watching Holland bring these characters to life, as his ability to convey an understanding of the role allows us to feel like we’ve known Cherry for years.

His talent is matched effortlessly by Ciara Bravo, who brings all the necessary pain and expression to her role as Emily for the audience to connect with. She is the anchor of this film, even when her addiction overcomes the character we are eager to get to know.

Bravo plays to Emily’s strengths as best she can but unfortunately, this film lets her down.

Cherry presents Emily as a character consumed by her addiction and in doing so reverts her potential to nothing more than a two-dimensional love interest. I understand this is Cherry’s story but as the linchpin to his life, Emily deserved more.

As I said before, Cherry is a difficult film to love and unfortunately, that very unlikeability is the barrier that keeps this story from connecting with its audience.

The Russo Brothers do a phenomenal job of giving this painful real-life experience the necessary cinamtic depth, when it could have easily been a one-note retelling, through various camera techniques and crafty lens tricks.

Thanks to its larger-than-life cinematography, this film doesn’t feel like it’s a couch-binge watch. I have no doubt this story was always meant to be viewed on a large screen with the theatre walls slowly closing in around you.

But showmanship can only carry this heavy subject matter so far. Eventually, the weight of Cherry’s burdens becomes too much, and its ability to keep us engrossed in this violent exploration of America’s drug epidemic slips away too quickly.

Cherry presents an interesting predicament for viewers left starved of entertainment.

The plot is insufferable and asks a lot of us as it dredges through some incredibly dark moments between Cherry and his girlfriend, Emily. It’s not entertaining, but should a film about war and addiction be entertaining?

We have to acknowledge that Cherry is important. That the story the film sets out to tell is executed flawlessly when it comes to making the audience understand that importance.

There isn’t a moment spent wallowing in Holland’s performance that I am not completely consumed by this troubled character’s experiences, his frustration, and his desperation. There’s not a moment spent thinking he’s the bad guy of this story, even when his morals become skewed.

So many of us would be quick to judge Cherry on the street or in the news, but this film makes us feel for him. We empathize and we agonize over the treatment of the American people his experiences stand for.

Cherry‘s purpose is never dimmed in favour of producing a better film and in choosing to tell a horrific tale of war and addiction, this project sacrifices its appeal.

That sacrifice shouldn’t go unnoticed when evaluating whether you enjoyed this film, and neither should the importance of the story being told.

When comparing this to Holland’s other starring role in The Devil All the Time, the violence and selfishness of Cherry never outways the film’s purpose. And when mindless violence does occur it’s to make a point of how pointless war is. This tale of addiction may be just as difficult to watch, but at least there’s a point to its madness.

I just wish there was a way to shine a light on difficult stories like this without making the audience miserable.

The film’s experimental cinematography is exciting and its story is a necessary lesson in empathy. At the end of the day, this is a war film through and through.

Even when Cherry leaves the battlefield he’s still fighting, and to expect a sugar-coated film to come of that just isn’t practical. But to suggest Cherry is simply misunderstood by an industry built on a desire to be entertained is to ignore the greater pacing and storytelling issues that plague this story too.

Despite a strong conviction, Cherry struggles to make an impression past its dazzling performances.

So if like me, you are not exactly in the right place to be watching heavy war-torn plots, I suggest staying away from this film’s triggering and intense nature. You’ll feel much better revisiting the more comforting superhero beats of Holland’s performance in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

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What did you think of Cherry? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Cherry is streaming now on Apple TV+.

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