Retro Film Review: Cherish (2002)

Too often, intriguing concepts devolve into mere excuses for the mediocrity prevalent in Hollywood's "high concept" films. This trend occasionally extends to independent low-budget films like Cherish, a 2002 comedy written and directed by Finn Taylor..

The film follows Zoe (portrayed by Robin Tunney), a San Francisco office worker attempting to spice up her lacklustre love life by drowning her sorrows in alcohol during her outings. After a brief date one night, a mysterious man kidnaps her and steals her car, leading to a fatal traffic accident involving a policeman. The carjacker flees, leaving Zoe to face charges of vehicular manslaughter. Her lawyer secures her release from jail, placing her under house arrest with an electronic ankle bracelet monitored by the compassionate police technician Daly (played by Tim Blake Nelson). Confined to her apartment, Zoe must confront the stalker while seeking evidence to clear her name.

Cherish possesses the essential elements of a successful low-budget film – a simple yet brilliant concept tailored for such productions, a talented and diverse cast, an outstanding 1980s pop soundtrack, and an array of quirky characters and scenarios. Regrettably, Finn Taylor fails to interweave these components into a cohesive narrative. The film's ultimate downfall lies in Taylor's choice to frame it not as a thriller but as a comedy. His lack of comedic finesse renders the jokes flat, while the film's "serious" moments come across as too peculiar to be taken seriously. Despite Robin Tunney's commendable performance in a challenging yet ungratifying role and the appeal of 1980s pop music, Cherish may resonate with Tunney's fans but is likely perceived by most viewers as nothing more than an intriguing misstep.

RATING: 4/10 (+)

(Note: Original version of the review is available here.)

Blog in Croatian https://draxblog.com
Blog in English https://draxreview.wordpress.com/
InLeo blog https://inleo.io/@drax.leo

Hiveonboard: https://hiveonboard.com?ref=drax
Rising Star game: https://www.risingstargame.com?referrer=drax
1Inch: https://1inch.exchange/#/r/0x83823d8CCB74F828148258BB4457642124b1328e

BTC donations: 1EWxiMiP6iiG9rger3NuUSd6HByaxQWafG
ETH donations: 0xB305F144323b99e6f8b1d66f5D7DE78B498C32A7

Posted using CineTV