Cherish (2002)

Offbeat crime drama/comedy/thriller with Robin Tunney and Tim Blake Nelson

A young woman from San Francisco (Robin Tunney) is abused by an obsessed stalker, which leads to an inadvertent crime and she is unjustly placed under house arrest in a glorified warehouse. The deputy who monitors her ankle bracelet (Tim Blake Nelson) becomes infatuated by her. Will the real criminal be discovered and prove her innocence?

“Cherish” is a quirky dramedy/thriller with similarities to Tarantino’s “Jackie Brown” (1997), although not as good. But it ain’t bad and hardly a rip-off. Tunney looks great and has the charisma to pull-off the lead role while Blake Nelson is effective as the besotted officer. The peculiar story, the eccentric characters and the soundtrack keep you entertained. Liz Phair has a small role and is delectable.

The film runs 1 hour, 39 minutes and was shot in San Francisco/Berkley/Oakland. Brad Hunt and Jason Priestley are also on hand.

GRADE: B