About Cherry is an American drama film from 2012 co-written by Stephen Elliott and Lorelei Lee. The film revolves around a teenage girl named Angelina “Cherry” Henley who lives a life grappling with the financial crisis diligently trying to make it big in the adult industry. It is a character centric deep dive into the adult entertainment industry through the lens of a young woman.
Angelina, a teenager hailing from a dysfunctional family in San Francisco has had a traumatic childhood and is looking for a way to attain financial independence. On the advice of her boyfriend, she begins taking nude pictures which spiral her into the world of adult films. With the motive to start a fresh life, she moves to San Francisco alongside her best friend Andrew (Dev Patel) and swiftly integrates into the adult entertainment industry under the nickname “Cherry”. During the transition, she crosses paths with Margaret (Heather Graham), a director who takes Cherry under her wings and Francis (James Franco), who is curious about Cherry.
The journey of self discovery which Angelina goes on is bound to make anyone question their identity, autonomy and even ethics. The film is a parody of reality where it creates an honest portrayal of a girl trying to reclaim her life in a society that is complicated to understand philogyn101.
Key Players:
Angelina “Cherry” Henley (Ashley Hinshaw): Young woman in her twenties but has gone through hardships in her life. She works in the adult industry but struggles to feel in control over her choices as well as finding her inner self.
Andrew (Dev Patel): Angelina’s devoted friend who, though deeply protective of her, is baffled by the course their relationship takes based on Angelina’s choices regarding the adult industry.
Margaret (Heather Graham): An adult film instructor who aids Angelina in her career and who serves to reinforce her concepts of women’s strength and wisdom.
Francis (James Franco): A practicing lawyer who admires the growth of his relationship with Angelina but struggles with the emotions it brings about.
Thematically and Critical Analysis:
- Empowerment vs. Exploitation:
About Cherry makes evident one of its foremost themes which can be regarded as the dichotomy between exploitation and empowerment. The film considers the life of an actress who goes by the name of Angelina who claims to be the sole owner of her body and the decisions that she makes regarding it; however the film also accounts for her feelings regarding her involvement with the pornographic film industry.
- Fleeing Reality for Financial Stability:
Angelina’s decision to join the adult industry stems from her wish to move out and earn money, fleeing her troublesome home, lack of finances and controlling relationships. Her experience emphasizes the extent people reach to achieve the goal of independence and the work that is needed to craft a new self for them.
- Trust becomes Currency:
The movie explores the inner workings and dynamics of relationships in and outside the realm of the entertainment business. Angelina’s involvement with Andrew, Margaret and Francis emphasizes the tangled influence of trust, respect and communication on power strife, personal goals and emotional feelings.
- For the Feminists:
Angelina’s narrative, in the simplest terms, is about understanding herself and her role in the real world. For a waning, soft-spoken teenager with a low sense of self worth, the change into a more confident woman invites questions of self identity and how much does freedom truly cost.
Integrative Approach as a Director:
In his work, director Stephen Elliott adopts an unobtrusive and observational strategy that brings actor characters and their dialogues to the forefront. In the film, the cinematographer Daisuke Miyachiro depicts the stark difference between San Francisco’s rough streets and the manufactured seductive locations emblematic of adult movies. It is not too high, since the emphasis involved in the story is on the realism of the plot rather than the drama of the adult entertainment industry.
Pouring through the directorial lens, some critics categorize the movie as ‘slow-paced’ which reframes the necessary scenes within the film’s entirety.
Performances:
Ashley Hinshaw: While making her entry on screen as Angelina in a marvelous fashion, Hinshaw’s ability to portray true realism on an understated acting level accompanied by anxiety alongside inner tussles presented a raw feel to the film, however some critics argued that Hinshaw didn’t deliver enough depth while embodying the character.
Heather Graham: By taking up the role of Margaret, Graham proved herself to be a versatile performer, where she made existence of elegance alongside intricacy possible through the portrayal of a mentor character who is slightly detached yet shows signs of her cares for the needs of her mentee.
James Franco: It is thorough James’ depiction of Francis where he portrays the character’s complex morality and infatuation towards Angelina. This duality of his character showcasing tenderness alongside inner moral conflict is quite beautifully expressed through Franco’s character. That’s where James’ story stings the most, the development and progression is lacking greatly and it through a confusing angle to viewers.
Dev Patel: Andrew is the character that cuts deep with real human emotions, and that is through the lens of Angelina through Andrew’s character. Seeing his possessiveness and feeling over anxiety added a level of visceral feelings in that friendship.
Soundtrack:
Documenting the emotional turmoil through a more conversational framing with the use low beats seemed destine to make the narrative shift blend. The combination of the more loose melodies that accompany strong scenes play an imperative role in the story without replacing it feels entirely fitting for the tone of the movie as well.
Reception:
IMDb Rating: 4.8/10
Between thefilm’s poor ratings and reviews, Cherry has to stake a claim as the worst. Critiques threw it to the wolves, tearing it apart as ‘Boundlessly radio’ because of its so called ‘attempt’ of exploring the protagonist. The adult industry was portrayed in a way that came off as non judgmental which critics thought came off entirely over the top.
The character development and plot structures were completely unfinished, and for proper crooked transitions, Francis’s arc got put on the backburner. Though the intentions to showcase a woman’s self empowerment journey were well founded, the actors Ashley Hinshaw and Heather Graham were able to do as much as they could imagine which sadly wasn’t enough.
Why It Stands Out:
The cherry film is unique in its intention to destigmatize the traditional adult film industry for greater integration into society minus shock and insult. More toned down plots for Angelina, unlike most mainstream sellers for the adult industry.
Conclusion:
The film, About Cherry, is an understated and contemplative one that touches on themes of independence, self-empowerment, and self-discovery through a rather controversial subject. The film about the life of a pornographic actress could have touched on emotional and narrative levels but failed in doing so, however, it does present at an interesting angle of young women having to navigate their life as they try and create their space in a critical society.
The movie, About Cherry, could be beneficial to those that have a vested interest in questions of morality, character, and relationships as it provides a new deregister to the dilemmas drama centered movies present albeit far from perfect.
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