Cherish

I liked this movie! A lot of problems with new indie films is that they try to be too artsy (with rapid cuts or industrial music) or too dark where you wind up loathing all of the characters. This movie was neither. The soundtrack was ecclectic and quirky. You were able to sympathize with all the characters.

Nelson and Tunney had great chemistry and were fun to watch together. The genres (comedy/drama/thriller) meshed very well together to make a cohesive, entertaining piece.

Good job :-)

A young woman,Zoe,is placed under electronic house arrest for a crime she did not commit. The eccentric and energetic `Cherish, ' written and directed by Finn Taylor (`Dream with the Fishes') has the virtues of romance and thriller with a good dose of odd love. It is by far superior to any other in its multi-genre this year.

Robin Tunney plays Zoe as a cross between Frankie Potente in `Run, Lola, Run' and an updated Audrey Hepburn in `Breakfast at Tiffany's.' She indeed runs for her life, in a sequence clearly influenced by `Lola,' and she hangs out on an apartment terrace wistfully looking at life as Audrey did almost a half a century ago.

Tunney is natural and attractive dealing with the loneliness of exile and a possible romance with the rep for the electronic imprisoning device.

Her antagonist is a male version of Clint Eastwood's nemesis in `Play Misty for Me'-a cunning loner whose affection for music and Zoe is pathological. This insanity allows for an eclectic soundtrack rich with the songs of the ‘50's and 60's and an emphasis on the eccentric contemporary Noe Venable, perfectly suited to the situation.

And the music is a star-the pop lyrics give meaning and nostalgia in a world where Zoe is confined by four walls but liberated by her imagination to become a passably good roller skater and lovable neighborhood oddity. Association hit "Cherish" is the titular song whose demented lyrics reflect the antagonist's sick obsession with a girl he can never have.

Confinement has released her imagination. Finally, an intelligent movie this summer to share the spotlight with Hugh grant's `About a Boy.'

I happened upon this movie and loved it! It's nice to see a movie that's really worth your time. It was so simply done - taking place for the most part in one room. It didn't require big explosions, etc. I think when a movie like this is good, it really says something about what it takes to make a good film. I'm not familiar with the actor who played Daly. But I will look for more of him. In the beginning of the movie, the Daly character is not attractive. But as his character and relationship to Zoe progresses, you just love him. I just wish that he and Zoe could have ended up saying goodbye or something. I wanted something more for him. I loved it!!!!!

A fine exploration of love and obsession and a woman's journey for identity wrapped in an implausible plot, 'Cherish' is an admirable film full of well-rounded, comedic performances by a mostly unsung cast. Robin Tunney, who some of you may know from the remake of 'The In-Laws', stars as Zoe, a ditzy, confused young woman at the beginning of the film. She defines herself by her pitiful relationships with men, which through plot circumstances I won't reveal, result in her being confined to a seedy apartment somewhere in San Francisco, awaiting trial for a crime she didn't commit. Gradually, she discovers her strength as a woman, both physically and emotionally, through her relationships with her apartment mates, local neighbors, and most significantly with Tim Blake Daly, who portrays the cop who monitors her confinement. Great musical score that comments on the movie's themes, some great comic bits by the supporting cast and excellent direction by Finn Taylor. San Franciscans will snicker at the journey Zoe takes through the city to return to her apartment when she is allowed a day of escape, and some folks may scoff at the rather absurd plot, but I found this to be a very adorable film and recommend it to any film buffs who have grown bored by the usual Hollywood mush.

This is one of my favorite independent films. Yeah, the storyline may not be original, but Robin Tunney and Tim Blake Nelson do such a good job that you just love their characters (at least I did) and you want everything to turn out well for them. When I saw this in the theater originally, I loved the soundtrack, as it fit the storyline so well. The 80s songs featured are so cheesy and they fit the stalker theme. This film is so obviously low budget, but the actors involved made the story interesting, and I got so wrapped up in the story that I didn't care about the "little things." The DVD is well made, with an entertaining commentary track and an interesting "making of" featurette. What more could a film geek want?