Cherry (2010)

Directed by: Jeff Fine

Starring: Kyle Gallner, Laura Allen, Britt Robertson, Esai Morales and Matt Walsh

Genre: Independent, Comedy, Drama

Rated: R

This coming-of-age story follows seventeen-year-old Aaron Milton (Gallner) as he enters his freshman year at an Ivy League university. He’s a highly intelligent guy, entering the engineering program on a scholarship. However, he also has a passion for art, and attends a drawing class against the wishes of his advisor and his mother. In this class he meets an older woman named Linda (Allen), whose free spirit and direct manner charm him. He soon develops a crush on Linda, but things get complicated when he goes to her house for dinner and meets her fourteen-year-old daughter, Beth, who develops a crush on him. Through this awkward triangle, Aaron learns more about himself and grows into a more confident, secure person.

When I first saw previews for this film, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. I was afraid it was going to turn out to be just another overly sexualized college flick about a guy losing his virginity, but those fears were put to rest upon viewing. Despite the name of the film, sex is not the main focus of the storyline. Aaron isn’t just a virgin in the sexual sense; he’s a virgin to the real world – having been raised by an overly protective-to-the-point-of-controlling mother. He’s unaware of the problems people face, because he’s never had to face them. He embarks on quite the adventure with Linda and Beth, and learns a lot about the world and those he cares about on the way to finding himself.

I really liked this film. The acting was very well-done, especially from Gallner, Allen, and Robertson. Gallner is a young actor that I have been following readily for some time. He’s a very talented and versatile actor, and I haven’t disliked a single performance yet. His portrayal of the somewhat naïve, nerdy leading man was both believable and charming. Allen is fun as the free-spirited older woman but she is also able to realistically portray the complexities of addiction that afflict her. Robertson furthers this with her convincing performance as the daughter of an addict. I only wish that the relationship between mother and daughter got a little more screen time, and the audience could actually see what went on between the two of them rather than just hear it described by Beth. 

The writing feels natural. While the story isn’t entirely original, it is loosely based on the director’s life, and the writing makes you forget that similar stories have been told before. The three main characters all have full character arcs and each one has something to learn – no character in this film is flawless, but every character is redeemable.

For me, everything seemed to work for this film. The indie music really seemed to fit the characters and the storyline. The technical aspects were great – the music never overpowered the dialogue, scenes were always well-lit, etc. This is just one example of professional quality independent film.

7/10