Review of Cherish

I happened to catch this flick when there was nothing else on worth watching. It sounded a little weird, so I thought I'd give it fifteen minutes to see if I liked it. I ended up giving it fifteen dollars, as I immediately ran out and bought it when I finished watching. This movie has all the aspects of movie-making that appeal to me: bizarre and outrageous fantasy sequences that we've all had at some point or another, an almost unbelievably extraordinary situation that this almost unbelievably uninteresting woman experiences, an exceptionally quirky romance, creepy stalker stuff, and moments that made my heart skip a beat. This movie is worth watching for the visuals alone. Unorthodox camera angles, use of lighting, fast-motion film, and almost assaultive colors combine with rather brilliant acting from a colorful but oddly realistic cast. On a more superficial note, Robin Tunney is, as usual, incredibly hot and SO cute as the socially-inept Zoe, who magically transforms during the course of the movie to a smart, savvy, street-wise broad...an odd result from being placed under house arrest for a year. The movie peaks at the end in an unexpected few moments of absolute terror, and I often found my breath catching in my throat in fear. On top of the suspense is the equally unexpected romance between Zoe and her "keeper." A man who appears almost grotesque in his anal retentiveness and boredom, also changes drastically as a result of his interaction with this striking and unpredictable woman.

Fabulously written and filmed, Cherish is at once suspenseful, romantic, hilarious, terrifying, and artful. Give this a chance and an open mind, and you may find a new addition to your movie collection.