Wild Cherry is yet another comedy trying to repeat/copy better movies but doesn’t measure up in any way. I do have some respect for Tania Raymonde for her, um, “commitment” but otherwise it’s more cheap shelf filler at Best Buy and Wal-Mart.
Wild Cherry (2011)
REVIEW NAVIGATION
The Movie | Special Features | Video Quality | Audio Quality | Overall
Genre(s): Comedy
Image Entertainment | R – 85 min. – $29.97 | June 28, 2011
MOVIE INFO:
Directed by: Dana Lustig
Writer(s): Grant Vetters & David Kolbowicz and Chris Charney (written by), Chris Charney (screenplay)
Cast: Tania Raymonde, Jesse Moss, Rumer Willis, Kristin Cavallari, Ryan Merriman, Tia Carrere, Rob Schneider
DISC INFO:
Features: Trailer
Number of Discs: 1
Audio: English (DTS-HD MA 5.1)
Video: 1080p/Widescreen 1.78
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Region(s): A
THE MOVIE – 2.0/5
Wild Cherry likens itself to be the female version of American Pie minus the comradery and, most of all, comedy of the Pie movies (yes, all three of them). I will say it isn’t a horrible film as it did manage to get a couple chuckles out of me but otherwise it’s the typical sex jokes that all fall flat to go with an uneven plot.
Synopsis: Three hot high school seniors (TANIA RAYMONDE, RUMER WILLIS, KRISTIN CAVALLARI) are shocked to discover their names in a legendary book that pairs the school’s virgins with football players. Outraged, the girls are determined to show the guys who’s really running the game of love and launch a series of hilarious, humiliating pranks to get back at the baffled boys in a battle of the sexes.
The story itself screams direct-to-video, which this was after sitting around on some studio’s shelf since 2009, and I can see why. The plot isn’t bad per se but the execution was at best clumsy. For instance, our main character is played by Tania Raymonde, although Rumer Willis anchors the movie with a video narration, and she’s determined to have sex with her boyfriend… well maybe. I say maybe because before learning of the book, she’s hesitant and one would think that after finding out about the virgin book she would completely shut it down but instead she was on and off again throughout the film. No wonder why the guy was confused!
Well, I too was confused because I’m not sure if the guys in the film are supposed to be jerks or just juveniles wanting what most in their age group want. Given I was leaning toward thinking of them more as jerks than anything else, it was hard to grasp why these girls, well two them anyway, would go all the way. It also was perplexing that all the other virgins in the school, despite being told of the book as well, seemed to be OK with it all because of a supposed curse that if the players didn’t deflower the virgins in the school, their football team would be losers.
Another baffling aspect isn’t with the story instead it was in the casting department. Maybe it’s just me, but it was odd seeing somebody like Rob Schneider in the unrealistic yet understanding fatherly role (like Eugene Levy in the American Pie movies or Larry Miller in 10 Things I Hate About You). I guess I couldn’t take Schneider seriously as the overly concerning father who also tries to teach his 18-year-old daughter about sex.
The cast for Wild Cherry were alright given the script – by writers all making their feature debut – was half-baked though all they really needed to do was look good and at least deliver their lines in a believable manner. Rumer Willis and Kristin Cavallari (yes, that one from “Laguna Beach”) both play up the best friends who take offense to the main character before they make up but it’s Tania Raymonde, who reminds me of Anne Hathaway, takes the most risk with, much like Jason Biggs in the first Pie, does some… um… lively acting during one key scene. If it weren’t for that scene, I wouldn’t even remember this movie.
Wild Cherry was directed by Dana Lustig who previously helmed the Jennifer Love Hewitt romantic comedy Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber.
In the end, the movie is not very funny, fairly clichéd in its plot and the characters are one-dimensional and don’t make a whole lot of sense in their actions. I would say this would be a safe third choice on a slow Friday night but even then there are plenty of other films in the average category that would be a better choice.
SPECIAL FEATURES – 0.5/5
The only thing we get here is the trailer (1:41; SD).
VIDEO – 3.5/5
Wild Cherry is presented on a single-layered Blu-ray disc in 1080p high-definition and its original 1.78 aspect ratio. The picture may not pop off the screen compared with other HD releases but the detail level is alright while the color array is evenly dispersed without looking over saturated or pumped up.
AUDIO – 3.0/5
The DTS-HD MA lossless track is serviceable enough but doesn’t come offer much because it’s mostly dialogue driven with some lame pop/rock/whatever music and a mundane score thrown in.
OVERALL – 2.25/5
Overall, Wild Cherry is yet another comedy trying to repeat/copy better movies but doesn’t measure up in any way. I do have some respect for Tania Raymonde for her, um, “commitment” but otherwise it’s more cheap shelf filler at Best Buy and Wal-Mart. The Blu-ray itself is also nothing special and is a quick release for Image Entertainment.
The Movieman
Published: 07/07/2011