Cherish

In San Francisco, Zoe (Robin Tunney) is a shy and outcast in her working place that adores the love songs she listens to the radio. Zoe goes to a bar with her coworkers and she spends the night talking to a colleague that also like mushy songs. She drinks with him and when she goes to her car to take her cellular to call a taxi, a stalker forces her to drive away. A police officer sees the intruder in her car and asks her to stop the car. However, the guy forces Zoe to run over the policeman that is hit and dies. Zoe has a car accident and the aggressor escapes.

Neither the police nor her defense lawyer believes on her words and Zoe is arrested for murdering the policeman. She is confined at home with an ankle bracelet under the surveillance of Daly (Tim Blake Nelson), a lonely man that falls in love with Zoe. She tries to find a way to leave the spot to chase the criminal and prove her innocence.

I bought "Cherish" on DVD a long time ago, and only today I have watched it. It was a pleasant surprise, since Robin Tunney and the music score with wonderful songs from the 60's, 70's and 80's make this good low- budget film also delightful. The conclusion is satisfactory but could be better and better. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "No Lugar e na Hora Errada" ("In the Wrong Place and Time")

I like this movie. As far as perfomances go, Tim Blake Nelson's Daly was great! It was worth the watch and worth the listen because the music was great too. Cherish is unrequited love at it's best! Of course I liked Zoe (good performance by Tunney) but it was Daly that I related to most of all. In my world I am Daly, always waiting and hoping for that elusive bliss to be reciprocated! A solid 7 out of 10!

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.

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.'

Robin Tunney plays Zoe, a woman who finds herself trapped in her own home through the home arrest program after being falsely accused as a cop-killer. Tim Blake Nelson plays the home arrest worker who often visits to check on the equipment. The new film by Finn Taylor works like a romantic comedy, but also contains elements of a thriller. Cherish could easily have become buried in pretense or a messy mixture of genres, but it succeeds though, primarily by focusing on the complex character created by Tunney.

Most of the film takes place inside the loft apartment Zoe has been confined to. Gradually, she finds ways to expand her circle of territory, which mirrors her personal growth. The irony is that when she was free Zoe never connected with anyone, but when under arrest she is able to reach out and develop friendships. Tunney does a great job of playing an intelligent, but obviously flawed character. Tim Blake Nelson has a much smaller role, but he does a lot with it. When he becomes obsessed with Zoe he shows it in small ways, staring at a photo, buying her a radio. It's the kind of behavior I think we've all experienced when someone captures our attention. Other cast members that pop up in small but memorable roles include Jason Priestley (rather unrecognizable as a smarmy co-worker), Liz Phair, Nora Dunn and Brad Hunt as a stalker. But special mention should be made of Ricardo Gil, an amateur actor (he regularly works as a photographer) who plays Zoe's neighbor, a gay Jewish short person. Seems a bit extreme when writing it, but the nice thing is that Gil plays the part well never delving into pathos or caricature. The soundtrack is fun with several cheesy pop songs from the 70's and 80's, which often are played for comedic effect like when our stalker dances around to Hall and Oates's `Private Eyes'. What Taylor is aiming for though, is showing us people who want to use pop songs as a means of expression. It's a great twist to the usual method of just inserting an appropriate tune.