Cherrybomb

The story's been revealed already. Nothing else to say, but that this is not, by a far cry, Rupert's first great dramatic achievement.

Last comment's remarks on his work are a bit "off-colour". It'd be good for all of us viewers to get rid of Rupert's role in the Harry Potter's still unfinished franchise, OK. Watch him alongside Julie Walters in "Driving Lessons" and you'll see what this almost 20-year old "kid" can do... he's been a great actor for a long time! (Driving Lessons was shot while The Goblet of Fire was still rolling cameras!).

So, if there's anything to say about an actor here, it would be really appropriate to watch his whole work before judging it, especially when he's so young. Driving Lessons was the door that opened him a whole new world because he did it so well. And here, again, he delivers with enormous power, literally obliterating Bob Sheehan and Kim Nixon, especially Robert, who's been in the limelight before Rupert.

Oh, and BTW, is there any other actor coming from the HP films who's talented as Rupert? Just watch and let some three more years go on, and you'll see Rupert in more and more big films that really suit his capabilities.

Luke (Robert Sheehan) is a drug dealer following his addicted petty criminal father's footsteps. His best friend is the straight-laced Malachy (Rupert Grint) who works at the local community center. Then the daughter of the center's manager shows up and they both fall for her. Michelle (Kimberley Nixon) left London to move in with her dad who is sleeping with Michelle's friend 16 year old Donna. The two young men compete for Michelle's attention and Michelle's daddy issues create drama and mayhem.

Robert Sheehan is great at these types of roles. He is both brash and sensitive. He has a real vulnerability with his characters. Rupert Grint is still trying to work out of his Harry Potter character. Kimberley Nixon seems a bit too old to play a teenager. The movie tries but doesn't quite have the edge. It's a little quirky but nothing funny. It's not great but I like the two actors. They're enough to keep me watching.

A pretty girl enters in the lives of two friends who might fight one against the other to see who'll be with her in "Cherrybomb". The good guy Malachy (Rupert Grint) and the bad boy Luke (Robert Sheehan) are these opposites forces who work well together; the first is a responsible student who also works in a gym run by Crilly (James Nesbitt), father of the sexy girl; the second is totally out of control, who lives the sex, drugs and rock n'roll motto ,never knowing what to do with his life. Then comes Michelle (Kimberley Nixon) who joins them in wild parties, night outs, provoking both of these guys who are so up for her.

The story follows in a well humored manner, sometimes a little bit depressive (specially concerning about Luke's family with his constantly drunken dad) but as we are told right from the start, the trio is heading to tragic events.

First thing that came to my mind while watching "Cherrybomb" was a subtle correlation with "Something Wild" (1986) with a certain extra thing but never getting to the same level. Here, there's a wild girl messing with the life of a good boy, teasing a bad one and giving lots of trouble to her father, who is trying to adapt his routine to be with her since the mom doesn't want anything with her. I guess one could say this is a teen version of Demme's film but without the energy, the smartness and the rich soundtrack of the classic American film. It lacks a certain appeal in the story, one that makes you deeply care about the characters involved (completed with a lack of answers at the conclusion).

And if the movie worths a view it's mainly of its great cast of actors giving their usual treat which is always good. Grint never fails delivering the nice guy performance; Sheehan has an born ability to play troubled characters who has an dark yet hilarious sense of humor constantly thrown on the other characters much for our delight (the best of show, really! Plus, he's very cute!); and the girl has the right quality to make those boys go nuts for her doing all she wants them to do.

It's not special as it seems to be nor funny, dangerous and bold as it could be, or even longer (screentime was needed). If you need entertainment and some laughs this is the film you look for, complete; more than those goals you won't get, it's just half right with its message. 8/10

This is basically a story about 2 boys liking the same girl, and how both try to outdo each other to impress her.

It's not a new story, but it added a little difference to the common plot - the 2 guys are like magnetic opposites who happen to be best friends. Rupert Grint plays Malachy - a sensible sort who has a close and postcard-normal family and has apparently no serious problems; Robert Sheehan (still good but this is not his best work) is Luke, a drug dealer with an addict father and dealer-boss brother, whom you look at and wonder why he isn't more screwed-up than he already appears to be. Kimberly Nixon is Michelle, the girl they're trying to impress and bed, but her performance was the lousiest of the 3.

The first half builds properly. It was fun to see how they tried to outdo each other in order to impress the girl. There was also a bit of family drama (for Luke and Michelle at least) thrown in - something I thought would lead to more exploration in the second half.

Alas, the next half of the movie let me down. I couldn't feel more for the characters than the little I already did, and I felt like I was meant to as the film progresses towards its climax. It spent too little time exploring the changing dynamics between the friends, and it failed to convince me how the friends could seemingly be driven apart so easily. The ending wasn't as good as I hoped it would be.

A few other things I took issue with: film editing left something to be desired, camera work needed improvement, the film could have been scored better, the actors chosen better (they seemed to be chosen based on their popularity than their suitability for the film).

5.5/10

I have not wrote a review for a long time. For some reason I felt like I needed to on this one. It's a pretty simple story about two best friends that like one girl. One of the friends Rupert Grint who plays Malachy comes from like the I would not say rich neighborhood. But his family loves him very much and knows he is going to be successful. While on the other hand you have Luke played by Robert Sheehan. Luke lives a different life style then Malachy. His father is a low down drunk and his older brother pretty much takes care of them both until later on in the film.

So you could say Luke is the wild one and Malachy is like the nice guy. Then comes in Michelle played by Kimberley Nixon which Is very beautiful by the way. She sort of leads them both on in a weird way. But if she did not do this then the movie would not work. So these two best friends compete sort of to win the girl over. I think that is what makes the film work the best. The fact that you don't know who is going to get the girl in the end is what really makes everything work.

It is a drama film with great acting by all the lead actors my favorite being Luke. Even though I myself am more like Malachy. The cinematography is pretty good. You will like getting to know these characters and what makes them the way they really are. I am not going to tell you the end of the film you will just have to watch it for yourself. I also like the White messages at the top and all over the screen that appear to let you sort of know what is about to happen in the film. It kept my attention I recommend it to anyone who likes drama.