Cherry 2021

Cherry finds himself overwhelmed by love at first sight when he meets his college classmate, Emily. As their relationship deepens, Emily makes the life-changing decision to leave for Montreal to pursue her studies, leaving Cherry heartbroken. In a desperate attempt to escape his emotional turmoil, he enlists in the Army as a medic. However, just before he embarks on basic training, Emily realizes the gravity of her feelings and confesses her love for Cherry, declaring that they are destined to be together. They quickly marry before his deployment.

Cherry’s two-year stint in the Army brings unimaginable challenges, as he grapples with PTSD resulting from traumatic experiences, including witnessing the brutal death of his friend, Jimenez, in an IED explosion. Upon returning home, Cherry struggles to cope with severe panic attacks and anxiety, turning to OxyContin, which is prescribed to alleviate his PTSD symptoms. This decision marks the beginning of a downward spiral, as Emily, feeling helpless and frustrated about Cherry’s condition, starts consuming the same medication, leading both of them into the grips of a dangerous addiction.

Their life takes a dark turn when they break into a safe that belongs to Cherry’s drug dealer, Pills and Coke, only to find themselves using most of the drugs they pilfered. The situation escalates when Pills and Coke later discovers the empty safe, revealing that his boss, Black, is furious and will stop at nothing to reclaim his lost property. To pay off the debt, Cherry resorts to robbing a bank, which spirals into a series of heists to fuel their growing addiction.

As the couple’s heroin usage intensifies, they begin to suffer from acute withdrawal symptoms, leading Cherry to rob banks at an alarming rate. Tragedy strikes when Emily overdoses and nearly dies in the hospital. Under immense pressure from Emily’s mother, Cherry is guilted into leaving her, yet Emily eventually exits rehab to be with him, determined to share their risky lifestyle despite the potential dangers that come with it.

In need of more money, Cherry collaborates with Pills and Coke and his friend, James Lightfoot, for a series of bank robberies. However, during one heist, chaos ensues as the drug dealer panics and leaves, forcing Cherry to finish the job alone. As Cherry and Lightfoot escape, they discover Pills and Coke, shot and bleeding severely. Despite debating whether to take him to the hospital, they decide against it, leading to a tragic end for Pills and Coke, whose lifeless body they discard by the roadside.

Through a tense confrontation with Black regarding the drug debt, Cherry decides to pull off one last robbery, ultimately convincing a bank teller to set off the alarm as he walks out with the cash. In a desperate bid for resolution, Cherry gives the money back to Black and walks away from his chaotic life—only to attract the attention of the police by firing his weapon into the air. He sits on the roadside, getting high one last time before being apprehended.

After spending 14 long years in prison detoxing and rehabilitating, Cherry finally gets released on parole. As he steps out of the prison gates, he reunites with Emily, who has been waiting for him, hinting at the possibility of their love reigniting amid the scars of their past.