Cherry Ending Explained (In Detail)

Cherry ends for its titular characters on a note of hope, a long-drawn conclusion to a coming-of-age tale of love, loss, grief, and pain. Directed by the Russo brothers, Cherry follows the eponymous character through multifarious stages of his life, while delving deep into the acute sense of existential dread and ennui that pervades his every thought. Starring Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo, and Jack Reynor, Cherry released in theatres on February 26, 2021, and is currently available for streaming on Apple TV+.

Cherry opens in medias res, with the eponymous protagonist (Holland) narrating the saga of his existence, which is unfolded in a heavily-stylized fashion. Reminiscing his college days, Cherry talks about the listless nature of his formative years, punctuated by drunk, underground parties and the occasional use of drugs in an attempt to escape the bleak nature of reality. The world starts to feel less cruel when Cherry sets his sights on Emily (Bravo), whose sweetness provides him with an emotional anchor amid the internal chaos that rages within him.

However, things go awry, as the semblance of love-induced bliss is soon shattered. After enlisting himself in the U.S. Army at the brink of the Iraq War, Cherry encounters the horrors of war, along with the unimaginable trauma of losing fellow veterans that leaves an indelible mark on his soul. The hellish repercussions of war seem to be only the beginning of the end for Cherry, as the act of returning home fails to offer him the solace he innately craves. Here’s the ending of Cherry explained, along with how the many stages of experiences shape the lives of the characters in the film.

Is Cherry Based On A Book?

Cherry is based on the eponymous 2018 novel by Nico Walker, who chronicles the life of an unnamed narrator in college, as a soldier during the Iraq War, and a drug-addicted bank robber in the midst of the American opioid epidemic. Walker’s Cherry is semi-autobiographical in nature, as he had written the book during his time he served for bank robbery in a Kentucky federal prison. While the film adaptation follows the events in Walker’s novel fairly closely, Cherry makes several alterations in terms of stylistic preferences and changes the ending altogether. Walker’s novel manages to unravel the dizzying ennui that accompanied the daily lives of the American youth with startling authenticity, a situation which was exacerbated by rampant economic downturn, shrinkage of job opportunities, and acute substance abuse. While the Russo brothers translate the basic beats of the story with commendable cinematic flourish, the film’s flashy aesthetics and often-redundant voice-over narration hamper the emotional impact of an otherwise-tragic coming-of-age tale.

Why Does Cherry Decide to Enlist in the Military & How Does It Shape His Worldview?

Cherry and Emily find themselves inexplicably drawn to each other, finding a safe refuge from their individual experiences of past trauma and emotional discontent. Purportedly in an attempt to distance herself from Cherry, Emily declares that she will be moving to Montreal for further education, proposing that the two break up and go their separate ways. As Emily’s departure robs Cherry’s life of all meaning again, he enlists himself in the military as a medic, a decision which is partly influenced by the utterly barren employment opportunities in America at the time. This is also reflected in the fate of Cousin Joe (Michael Gandolfini), one of Cherry’s friends, who enlists himself in the Marines as a last resort to escape the drudgery of menial jobs and a listless existence. However, on the night she is supposed to leave, Emily confesses to Cherry that she is in love with him and that she will not be going to Montreal after all. Despite the fact that the two reconcile and decide to get married, Cherry’s fate with the military is sealed, and he undergoes basic training and plunges head-first into the terrors of war.

Whilst undergoing basic training, Cherry befriends Jimenez (Jeff Wahlberg), a fellow medic who wishes to return to his wife back home as soon as the war is over. Amidst grueling military routines and the immense psychological implications of battling the jaws of death, Cherry finds himself emotionally unprepared for the ugly reality of war. Death and tragedy pervade the desert-flanked vistas of Iraq, and Cherry is irreparably broken after witnessing the deaths of those in his unit, including Jimenez. The act of going to war marks the erasure of innocence for Cherry, who “gets his cherry popped” in terms of witnessing the chaotic hell on the battlefield firsthand. As these experiences are drenched in nothing but pain and heartbreak, Cherry’s worldview undergoes a metamorphosis, and life loses all meaning yet again after his return home. Although the fantasized memories of Emily kept him going through his time in Iraq, and he pined to be back home with her uncontrollably, Cherry’s return home marks the inception of a devastating personal hell.

How PTSD & Substance Abuse Plunges Cherry Into An Abyss of Hopeless Despair

Cherry’s military experience further intensifies his feelings of alienation and acute dehumanization, which manifests in the form of tremor-filled nightmares and intense PTSD. Both Cherry and Cousin Joe struggle to integrate themselves back into society, as they are unable to let go of the intense trauma that accompanies their individual wartime experiences. Haunted by phantom visions and the horrors of near-death, Cherry starts using Oxycontin to take the edge of his violent dreams and intense anxiety attacks. While Cherry does attempt to seek psychiatric help, he is further disillusioned by the depersonalization that often runs rampant through the medical system, and starts abusing the drug prescribed to him by using it regularly. The once dreamlike aura that surrounded Emily starts to dissipate, and the latter finds herself unable to tackle the aftereffects of trauma that haunts the person she loves. Seeing no way out of this hell, Emily turns to substance abuse as well, and the two become addicts.

When hopes and dreams fail to match up to the cruel reality of everyday life, humans often turn to mutual destruction, emboldened by general apathy and the ghosts of love. Cherry and Emily spend their days in drug-induced stupor, which is only punctuated by the need to earn enough money to consume more. When attacked by sudden bouts of withdrawal, the two find themselves gripped by the desire to covet more, no matter what the cost or consequence. In an especially heartbreaking scene, the couple lie together in their sun-drenched bedroom, reminiscing the beauty of their lost lives and the people they could have been. “Do you remember the white ribbon you used to wear around your neck?” Cherry asks Emily, which emerges as a callback to the days of hope and innocence. However, now that all hope and innocence is lost, the two seem forever lost in the hopeless despair of opioid addiction.

Why Does Cherry Decide to Walk Away From Emily?

After Emily almost dies due to a drug overdose, her mother asks Cherry to walk away from her. While she claims to understand his innate brokenness, Emily’s mother asks Cherry to be a “man” and leave Emily so that she has a shot at recovery. The theme of societal expectations of masculinity runs rife through Cherry, as this notion is deeply ingrained into the acts of enlisting in the military and being able to let go of a loved one in their better interest. However, the reason why Cherry wishes to walk away from Emily stems from love, as he believes that his mere presence would besmirch her chances at beginning life anew. Although the couple falls back together into their old patterns of substance abuse, their condition is worsened by the need to buy more drugs, which spurs Cherry to rob banks once in a while. Entrapped in an endless cycle of drug dependence, monetary dearth, and ever-increasing debt, Cherry decides to leave Emily once and for all for the sake of her recovery and well-being.

How Cherry’s Final Bank Robbery Triggers A Long Road to Recovery

With Cherry’s drug dealer dead, he finds himself in a precarious position as he owes a considerable amount of money to Black, another notorious dealer. In a final act of self-sacrifice, Cherry decides to rob a bank for one last time, while asking the teller to trip off the alarm on his way out. Handing the cash to Black, Cherry renders himself free from the cycle of crime and drug abuse by firing shots in the air, hence notifying the police. Lying on his back on a desolated street, with a needle in his arm, Cherry chooses to get arrested and free Emily from his influence. Over the years in reformative prison, Cherry embarks on a long road to recovery, which sets him on the path to self-betterment and self-discovery. Due to his model behavior in prison, Cherry is granted parole after an unspecified amount of time, and he makes his way back into the world, a reformed man.

What The Ending Really Means

The ending of Cherry not only offers salvation to the titular character but also grants him hope, and the promise of a new beginning. Walking out of prison, Cherry finds Emily waiting for him, seemingly free from the substance abuse she endured throughout the years. Although a considerable amount of pain is bound to linger due to their shared past of self-inflicted abuse and individual trauma, Cherry ends with the silver lining that the two find their way back to each other, a little less broken and hopeless in their worldview. As both Emily and Cherry are free from their respective addictions, it is likely that they will be able to re-establish their lost dreams of blissful togetherness, and craft a fulfilling existence together in their home. Happiness seems within reach once again against the backdrop of the dreamy twilight skies of a home they can finally call their own.

About The Author

Debopriyaa Dutta
(328 Articles Published)

Apart from being a features writer and critic at ScreenRant, Debopriyaa is a news writer at /Film. She is also a contributor to High on Films & Fansided, and an editor at Digital Mafia Talkies. Her poetry has been published in a wide array of journals, such as Gideon Poetry, White Noise Magazine, and Literaria. Find her on Twitter @angelusatani.

More From Debopriyaa Dutta