Cherish (film)
Cherish is a 2002 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Finn Taylor. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 14, 2002 and had a limited theatrical release June 7 of that same year. The Region 1 DVD was originally released June 1, 2004 and then re-released on October 25, 2005 with new cover art. The movie's title is a nod to The Association's 1966 hit song with the same name.[1]
| Cherish | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Finn Taylor |
| Written by | Finn Taylor |
| Produced by | Mark Burton Johnny Wow |
| Starring | Robin Tunney Tim Blake Nelson Brad Hunt Liz Phair |
| Cinematography | Barry Stone |
| Edited by | Rick LeCompte |
| Music by | Mark Degli Antoni |
| Distributed by | Fine Line Features |
Release date |
|
Running time | 99 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1.5 million |
| Box office | $179,751 |
Synopsis
Zoe Adler (Robin Tunney), is a shy, eccentric and misunderstood computer animator who lives and works in San Francisco, has a love for 1970s and 80s pop music and is infatuated with co-worker Andrew (Jason Priestley). While heading home after a few drinks one night, she is forced into her car by a stalker who steers her into a police officer, knocking him off his bicycle and killing him.
When Zoe is put under house arrest with a story no one believes and an electronic bracelet that keeps her homebound with an ever-increasing list of mandatory and repetitive tasks she must complete or risk going to jail, she must find a way to clear her name. With the help of Daly (Tim Blake Nelson), an officer responsible for checking her bracelet every week who falls for her, a downstairs neighbor, and neighborhood kids, Zoe finds her stalker and tries to clear her name.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Robin Tunney | Zoe Adler |
| Tim Blake Nelson | Daly |
| Brad Hunt | D.J. |
| Liz Phair | Brynn |
| Jason Priestley | Andrew |
| Nora Dunn | Bell |
| Lindsay Crouse | Therapist |
| Ricardo Gil | Max |
| Kelvin Han Yee | Officer Yee |
Reception
Critical response
Roger Ebert gave the film three stars and a thumbs up. He praised Tunney, saying that "she brings a quiet goofiness to the role that is a much better choice than grim heroism or calm competence or some of the other speeds she could have chosen." He also complimented Ricardo Gil who plays Max, a gay dwarf who lives downstairs from Zoe and befriends her.[2]
Elvis Mitchell of The New York Times liked it "as a poky little character comedy...enchanting in a small-scale way" but was critical of Taylor for trying "to shift the tone to a thriller's rush." He added, "The film lacks the horsepower for the 0-to-60-pickup needed for Zoe's Nancy Drew-like investigations of her stalker." He was also disappointed by the lack of development of characters beyond Zoe.[1]
References
- Mitchell, Elvis. "Film Review: Banished to Her Home but Not Bored," The New York Times, Friday, June 7, 2002. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- Cherish, Friday, June 14, 2002 – RogerEbert.com. Retrieved June 21, 2023.