CHERRY

US, 2012, 97 minutes, Colour.
Ashley Hinshaw, James Franco, Heather Graham, Dev Patel, Diane Farr, Lili Taylor.
Directed by Stephen Elliott.

It depends on your point of view whether you think that this, kind of paperback version, story of Angelina from Los Angeles is a downhill story or an achievement tale.

Model Ashley Winshaw is Angelina, an attractive young woman, whose mother drinks (Lili Taylor), who has a brutal father and a vulnerable younger sister, as well as a platonic friendship with Indian, Andrew (Dev Patel, the Slumdog Millionaire). What will life offer her? Actually, she is not backward in grasping what turns out to be a sleazy life does offer.
She goes somewhat coyly to a photo-session and discovers something of the exhibitionist in herself. Soon, she sneaks off to San Francisco with the ever-devoted Andrew – he will accuse her later, rightly, of treating him like a pet. Before you can say Strip Club, she is a hostess, being advised she ought to be a dancer. But, soon, as Cherry, she auditions for Margaret (Heather Graham) for some lesbian porn clips and is into the business. A complication arises when her mother and sister come for a visit and leave with some cash and disillusionment. Another is her affair with a wealthy former artist who spends his money on drugs (James Franco).

Let’s say that she ends up materially successful.

Former sex worker, Stephen Elliott, says he wanted to tell a story about the industry he and fellow writer, Lorelei Lee (probably about as real as Cherry for a name) have known well. They have collected quite a number of reputable actors. But, the treatment is mainly surface with a few moments of angst – though most of the angst comes in the subplot about Margaret and her possessive partner.

There are a few sex scenes as expected though most are not nearly as explicit as one finds in other films.

1. A film of Los Angeles and San Francisco? Young people? Work? Photography? Pornography?

2. The presentation of the cities, ordinary, the nightclubs, the studios, apartments? The musical score?

3. Angelina’s story, at eighteen, her life, her family, her parents, her mother’s drinking, her father’s abusiveness, JoJo? and her age, care? Her relationship with Bobby? His taking her to Vaughn, the photographic session, Angelina becoming more exhibitionistic? The money? Andrew as her friend, the way she treated him, his driving her round? Her decision to leave Los Angeles, lying to her mother, Andrew driving her to San Francisco?

4. Andrew, his Indian and British background, devoted, saying that Angelina treated him like a pet? His driving her everywhere, his jobs? Going to San Francisco, sharing the room, going to the club, his getting work at the bookshop, his talking to Angelina, his advice, his disillusionment, disagreement with her work, leaving?

5. The San Francisco house, the gay man in charge, Angelina sharing? Her getting a job quickly, hostess at the club, relationship with the girls, the encounter with Francis and his friend, Francis coming to visit, taking a liking to Angelina?

6. With Francis, going to the art gallery, the party, his story, art, the law, his drugs? His patron? His not coming to meet Angelina’s mother and sister, his later apology, his break with Angelina?

7. The interviews for the job, the questions, seemingly matter-of-fact? Her answering the questions, agreeing to the work? Her audition, Margaret and the filming, the fetish films, pretending to be a schoolgirl, the sexual talk? The background of the studio, the crew, the women in makeup, the camerawoman?

8. The clips, pornography, the director, the actor? Francis discovering the truth and expressing his disgust? Breaking with her?

9. Margaret and her companion, the tension between them, each with their different jobs, going out, the party? Margaret and her fascination with Cherry? Watching the clips? Going to the bar, continuing to watch? The argument between the two women, the frank sexual encounter, Margaret leaving?

10. Margaret and Angelina, together, repeating the pattern of the past? Time passing?

11. Angelina, directing in the same way that Margaret did? The client? The continuation of the cycle?

12. The film made from the inside by the director and writer, their work in the sex industry? A film of insights or not?