CHERRY
(director/writer: Sophie Galibert; screenwriters: Anne-Claire Jaulin/Arthur Cohen; cinematographer: Damien Steck; editor: Camille Delprat; music: Clentine Charuel; cast: Alex Trewhitt (Cherry), Hannah Aline (Anna), Angela Nicholas (Carla), Alice Bang (Jess), Luc Walpoth (Quinceanera), Dan Schultz (Nick), Joe Sachem (Roger), Sandy Duarte (Dr. Amalia Garcia-Ortega), Melinda DeKay (Grandma), Charlie S. Jensen (Bob), Darius Levanté (Quinton); Runtime: 76; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Shincy Lu/Sophie Galibert/Philippe Gompel/Arthur Cohen; Entertainment Squad; 2022)
“Pro-abortion rights film.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
The feature film directing debut for Sophie Galibert is a 90s-vibed drama about an immature 25-year-old L.A. roller skater, Cherry (Alex Trewhitt, in a zesty performance), with a pink heart drawn on her cheek, who must suddenly decide in 24 hours whether or not to keep an unplanned pregnancy after pregnant for 11 weeks, before it’s too late to abort. It’s a well-produced and timely indie, made on a low-budget. The story is told over a 24-hour period.
Galibert ably co-writes the pro-abortion rights film with Anne-Claire Jaulin and Arthur Cohen, making it clear that it’s essential for women to make that choice and not some creepy Republican politician (is their any other kind!).
Its primary scenes include stilted talks with female doctors, a troubling inability to connect with her insensitive pot-smoking boyfriend Nick (Dan Schultz) and at a Sunday gathering with her problematic family–her sincere father Bob (Charlie S. Jensen), her mother Carla (Angela Nicholas), her sister Anna (Hannah Alline) and her dementia suffering grandmother (Melinda DeKay)–each burdened with their own problems, which prompts her not to tell them about her situation.
As previously shown, Cherry works as a balloon artist in a costume store in Hollywood, whose humorless boss (Joe Sachem) fires her after a balloon mishap not her fault. Unemployment gives her one more problem to deal with.
It’s a necessary and timely film that comes after the Supreme Court over-turned the Roe vs Wade decision, in its attempt to promote its pro-life agenda.
It played at the Tribeca Film Festival, where it won top prize.
REVIEWED ON 4/8/2023 GRADE: B+