A little unclear if this is intentionally depraved in its depiction of masculine sexual aggression but this subversive spin on the rom-com feels downright farcical in the way its two male protagonists coerce Cherie towards their desires with no disregard for her as anything more than an object to serve their needs. The film's denouement suggests that the filmmakers know what they are doing, and the tonal elasticity here really stands out. Operating at times like a traditional rom-com yet conceptionally imbued with a commentary that invites investigation into heteronormative gender roles, expectations, and the coercive power dynamics at play, Cherie is a silly rom-com in construction but one that feels conscripted to make a point about the male ego through its formal conception. The film's lighthearted tone when dealing with jokes related to date rape is played for laughs yet they have a dual focus, serving what feels like farcical intentions about the absurdity of normative gender dynamics. Tam's keen directorial style is perhaps a bit more understated in what would feel like his most accessible film to date in his career, yet the interior spaces in this film are strikingly constructed in terms of the mise-en-scene and compositional aptitude.
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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