About Cherry

40:50

3

I clocked this film on Sky Movies On Demand and decided to watch it based on its plot summary. The plot summary really over-sells this film and made me believe that it actually might be a good film (I didn't look at its IMDb rating prior to watching it). The problem with this film is that it just seems to lack any sort of depth; this extends to both the plot and its characters. With this being a drama on the * industry, I expected it to explore the ups, downs, and consequences of one's involvement within this industry. This film explores some of the ups quite well and we also see some of the consequences on those around Cherry as a result of her new found career. What it fails to explore is the downside and given the subject matter that's where I thought a lot of the focus would be. Cherry takes cocaine (and seemingly ends up unaffected by this) - she falls out with her parents (and again seems unaffected by this). Cherry then has a bust up with her friend Andrew when she catches him watching *. At this point, I thought the film was turning a corner and felt that there may be some sort of realisation or insight, but once again the writers stop that thread dead and move on to something else. Worse still, the film suggests that Cherry ends up with film director Margaret - this isn't clear as the film shifts from them having a drink in the bar together and then finds them living together in the next scene. Did anyone else think that was a bit weird? I think the worst part of this film is that it felt like it had no message and nothing to say; I mean Cherry is arguably happier at the end than she was at the start? She doesn't seemed to have suffered that badly at any point during the film. Whilst I think that saying this glamorises the industry is perhaps going a bit too far, I did feel that it didn't explore the downsides very well and for me that's sending out a fairly dangerous message (particularly to younger viewers). Personally, I found this film to be shallow and somewhat pointless. It didn't really have anything to say and didn't really explore Cherry's relationships with her family and friends. Worse still, it failed to provide the audience with any sort of commentary. As it is it's basically a pretentious * film trying to masquerade as a serious drama.

I just watched this movie. The thing about it is that the characters are very shallow. The acting is good but the characters lack depth and you don't understand why things happen. Most of the characters appear briefly and we never get to know what happens at the end. Cherry/Angelina's cocaine-addict boyfriend suddenly disappears and we never hear from him again. She argues with her best friend and we don't know what happens to him at the end. The same with her mom's abusive boyfriend and Heather Graham's girlfriend. It's like things happen for no reason. Thing just ... happen. Characters have no impact on the plot. They just come and go. The end is absolutely rubbish. It's a good movie if you are so bored and wanna kill some time but don't have high expectations. I would rate it 2 out of 10 but I gave 4 because acting wasn't that bad.

It's nice to see another take on the adult film industry. I don't have any experience or know anyone in the adult film industry, but I can see things like that happening (or at least similar to those depicted in the movie). You might think the same, if you watched the special feature/interview that is on the (german?) DVD. Hopefully they included this on all discs, because you can see the sincerity of the writer of this movie coming through. The movie still has some dramaturgy issues, some character based actions might not be that well explained, the overall experience is a good one (if you forgive the pun). And while there is nudity and some sensual scenes, the movie overall is not meant to excite that much in that category. There is always more than one story that can be told about something. Question is, are you open enough to see this particular one?

Watching this movie is like a porno trying to have a story except with hardly much nudity if that makes any sense. The movie tries to show the spiraling down of a innocent girl who ends up joining the porno industry. The thing is, there isn't any moments that shock or hits the gut or psychologically show the desires of men and women. The movie "Bad Guy" by Ki-duk Kim or even the movie "Compliance" which I seen had more of a shock factor. And the build up makes the audiences care for those movie or at least get their attentions. This one I could barely sit through and was bored with the superficial and fake characters who I can't see how anyone can have sympathy for them. Maybe I am just being a bit cold, but no one is likable in this movie. It's just really shallow people doing really shallow stuff. Maybe it's trying to show the selfish and messed up side of humanity but it did a pretty plastic job of that as well. The message seems to be in this flick is "if your bored with your life or not satisfied become a * star" kinda deal. The makers of this flick thought the main payoff is to show Ashley Hinshaw topless, and it's still not worth sitting through this atrocious movie. James Franco is also in this and I don't know why he even bothered. I doubt he needed the paycheck so much to the point he had no choice but to be in this flick. In fact him being in this is probably the main reason the studio decided to green-lit this movie. And the fact that it has Ashley Hinshaw topless. 3/10

18 year old Angelina (Ashley Grace) sells naked pictures of herself to raise money to run away to San Francisco with her best friend Andrew (Dev Patel). She comes from a dysfunctional family and he's secretly in love with her. She gets involved with drug-addicted lawyer Frances (James Franco). Lesbian former * actress Margaret (Heather Graham) recruits her to be in her film. Ashley Hinshaw is a fashion model, and she has the acting skills to prove it. Overall the movie had no joy, no pace, no tension, no drama. There is one good scene with Dev Patel, but that's not enough to recommend this film.

Most movies about the business of * are moralistic films, showing the exploitation that grinds its participants down and steals their souls (to mix a metaphor). This is not one of those. As a movie, it's not sure whether the title character is being ruthlessly exploited, or joyously empowered. She's one or the other both or neither. A lot of peripheral characters and subplots are drawn in, but all are handled perfunctorily. A lot of star power -- Heather Graham, James Franco, Dev Patel -- is wasted in cardboard roles. Ashley Hinshaw, playing Cherry, is a beautiful actress, and looks a lot like a younger Heather Graham (no coincidence, I'm sure, in terms of their characters). She doesn't display much range here, and her character is not given a chance to grow (which could be the director's fault). In the end, it's not bad, but there's nothing there. Despite showing the * industry, it lacks sleaze; and yet you couldn't call it tasteful. Just dull.

About Cherry pulls every punches to make sure you can see Cherry's sweet side. Reality is there, you can see it clear as day, but the story is all about her innocent nature. The bad things are presented, but not dwelled upon. You get to know her and by the end you just wish to get to know her more, that's how sweet she is. The camera moves are well chosen, the point of views and focus done just right. The scoring is just as sweet as the main actress and all the characters are well played. The scenario is a great balance in time and subjects, presenting you a lot of tidbits, in a concise manner that you can easily ingest. It's almost perfect. The only reproach I can make is that it is so sweet, it has no punch. I must admit, I didn't care that it didn't. I will watch it again many times, that is a guaranty. Easily listening. I highly recommend it to the naughty one waiting for a candy inside of you.

The eighteen year-old Angeline (Ashley Hinshaw) raises money with a session of naked pictures and leaves her alcoholic and dysfunctional parents fleeing to San Francisco with her friend Andrew (Dev Patel). They rent a room in the apartment of the gay Paco (Vincent Palo) and Angeline finds a job in a strip club and Andrew in a bookstore. Soon Angeline has a love affair with the drug-addicted lawyer Frances (James Franco) and joins the adult industry making *. Meanwhile the lesbian director Margaret (Heather Graham) becomes obsessed on her. "About Cherry" is a movie with a pointless story of a shallow teenager without moral principles that leaves her alcoholic parents to become a *-star. The characters are poorly developed and most of them are unlikable. Angeline is actually a bisexual teenager without any moral principle and maybe nymphomaniac. The situations are also shallow and the movie is neither a drama or romance nor a soft-*. The only thing that worths is the beauty of the lead actress. My vote is four. Title (Brazil): "Doce Tentação"