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Timeline

About Cherry (2012) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2012 · 102 min
JustWatch #11,064 14
Starring
James Franco, Heather Graham, Dev Patel, Lili Taylor, Ashley Hinshaw

A young woman escapes a stifling life in Los Angeles and finds herself drawn to the adult film industry in San Francisco. As she embraces this new world, she confronts a complicated past and the challenges of navigating relationships with a diverse group of people. The film explores themes of identity, escape, and the secrets that can threaten even the most carefully constructed facades, featuring performances by Ashley Hinshaw, Lili Taylor, Jonny Weston, Dev Patel, James Franco, and Heather Graham.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like About Cherry
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch About Cherry (2012)

Where can you watch About Cherry? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on AMC+, Philo and Sundance Now: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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12 events in order · contains spoilers

About Cherry Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of About Cherry (2012) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Teenage Struggles

    Angelina grapples with the typical challenges of her teenage years, torn between the carefree joys of high school and the longing for independence. The pressures arise as she contemplates her future and personal choices under the watchful eyes of her peers.

  2. Bobby's Suggestive Idea

    Angelina's boyfriend, Bobby, floats an unconventional plan to take suggestive photographs of her, aiming to capture her beauty. Though she hesitates initially, her curiosity and desire for financial freedom lead her to agree to the project.

  3. Financial Freedom

    The financial success from the photo shoots empowers Angelina and motivates her to escape her mundane life. She decides to embark on an exciting adventure with her best friend Andrew, looking for something more fulfilling.

  4. San Francisco Arrival

    In San Francisco, Angelina is introduced to a world of wealth and extravagance, meeting Francis, a charming attorney. He introduces her to a lavish lifestyle filled with glamorous parties and high fashion, captivating her new sense of self.

    Where
    San Francisco
  5. Meeting Margaret

    Angelina encounters Margaret, a former adult film star turned director, who recognizes Angelina's potential. Margaret plays a crucial role in guiding Angelina into the world of adult films, helping her adopt the alias 'Cherry' as she dives deeper into this new industry.

    Where
    San Francisco
  6. First Soft-Core Film

    After acclimating to her new identity, Angelina begins producing soft-core films, delving into an unfamiliar realm. Her work starts attracting attention, marking the beginning of her journey in the adult film industry.

  7. Entering Hardcore Productions

    As Angelina gains confidence and experience, she progresses from soft-core to hardcore films. This transition not only elevates her status in the industry but also complicates her emotional landscape through the growing demands of her career.

  8. Francis' Criticism

    Despite their initial attraction, Francis becomes critical of Angelina's choices in the adult film industry. Their relationship takes a dark turn when he gets into a car accident, sending shockwaves through Angelina's life and forcing her to reassess her decisions.

  9. Conflict with Andrew

    Returning home, Angelina is confronted by Andrew, who is watching one of her films. This shocking discovery leads to a heated argument between them, making her realize the extent of the impact her decisions have had on her personal relationships.

  10. Reunion with Margaret

    Feeling distressed, Angelina seeks solace and reunites with Margaret at a bar. The chemistry between them reignites, leading to an intimate night at Margaret's apartment that awakens a new sense of purpose for Angelina.

    Where
    Bar
  11. Commitment to New Identity

    Angelina embraces her new life, deciding to move in with Margaret. This significant transformation solidifies her commitment to her career as a porn director, signaling a major shift in her life aspirations and relationships.

  12. A New Path Forward

    With Margaret by her side, Angelina embarks on a new chapter, fully accepting her identity and the choices she has made. This moment marks the beginning of her journey toward empowerment and self-discovery in a complex world.

Last updated: November 21, 2024 at 13:16

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Timeline questions answered

About Cherry Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of About Cherry (2012): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Angelina agree to Bobby's idea of taking suggestive photographs?

Angelina agrees to Bobby's proposal because she sees it as a path to financial independence and escape from her stifling life in Los Angeles. The money from the photo shoots gives her the means to leave her humdrum existence and pursue the independence she craves. While initially hesitant, her desire for autonomy and adventure ultimately outweighs her reluctance.

  • angelina
  • bobby
  • suggestive photos
  • financial independence
  • escape
Q2

Why does Angelina decide to leave Los Angeles and go to San Francisco with Andrew?

Angelina leaves Los Angeles because the money from Bobby's photo project gives her the financial means to escape her restrictive life and seek something more fulfilling. She embarks on the adventure with her best friend Andrew, looking for excitement and autonomy. San Francisco represents a fresh start and the possibility of defining herself on her own terms.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Angelina grapples with the pressures of teenage life and longs for independence, setting the stage for her decision to leave.

  • angelina
  • andrew
  • san francisco
  • escape
  • independence
  • adventure
Q3

Why does Francis become critical of Angelina's work in the adult film industry?

Francis becomes critical of Angelina's choices after initially being captivated by her. His criticism represents a shift in his perception of her once he learns the extent of her involvement in the adult film industry. This change highlights how his attraction was tied to a certain image of her that her career choices now threatens.

Foreshadowing: Francis initially beckons Angelina into his lavish lifestyle, but his fascination is tied to her appearance and the lifestyle she presents, not her authentic self.

  • francis
  • angelina
  • criticism
  • adult films
  • relationship change
Q4

What happens to Francis after he criticizes Angelina's career choices?

After Francis criticizes Angelina's work, he gets into a car accident that sends shockwaves through Angelina's world. This accident serves as a turning point that forces Angelina to confront the consequences of her decisions and reassess her path.

  • francis
  • car accident
  • consequences
  • turning point
Q5

Why does Angelina have a heated argument with Andrew when she returns home?

Angelina argues with Andrew after discovering him watching one of her adult films. This shocking discovery reveals the extent to which her career choices have affected her personal relationships. The confrontation highlights the tension between her new identity and her past life.

  • angelina
  • andrew
  • argument
  • adult film
  • relationship conflict
Q6

How does Angelina meet Margaret and why does she become pivotal to her career?

Angelina encounters Margaret, a former adult film star turned director, in San Francisco. Margaret recognizes Angelina's potential and plays a crucial role in guiding her into the porn industry. She helps Angelina adopt the alias 'Cherry' and mentors her career progression from soft-core to hardcore productions.

  • margaret
  • angelina
  • cherry
  • adult film director
  • mentorship
Q7

Why does Angelina decide to move in with Margaret at the end of the movie?

Angelina moves in with Margaret after reuniting with her at a bar, where their chemistry reignites and leads to an intimate night together. This decision represents Angelina fully committing to her new identity and career as a porn director. It marks a significant transformation in her life, choosing a path of empowerment and self-discovery despite the personal compromises it requires.

  • angelina
  • margaret
  • move in
  • new identity
  • commitment
Q8

What is the significance of Angelina adopting the alias 'Cherry' in the adult film industry?

The alias 'Cherry' represents Angelina's new identity as she transitions into the adult film world. It serves as a protective mask allowing her to explore this new career while separating it from her former life. The name also signifies her transition from innocence to a more complex, adult identity.

  • cherry
  • alias
  • identity
  • adult films
  • transformation
Q9

Why does Angelina progress from soft-core to hardcore productions?

Angelina transitions from soft-core to hardcore films as she gains confidence and experience in the adult film industry. This progression elevates her status in the industry but also complicates her emotional landscape. The transition reflects her deepening commitment to her new career and her willingness to push boundaries.

  • soft-core
  • hardcore
  • career progression
  • adult industry
  • angelina
Q10

How does Angelina's relationship with Francis change throughout the film?

Angelina's relationship with Francis evolves from initial attraction to disappointment. He introduces her to a lavish lifestyle of wealth and extravagance, but when she enters the adult film industry, he becomes critical of her choices. The relationship deteriorates, and his subsequent car accident further separates their paths.

  • francis
  • angelina
  • relationship
  • wealth
  • criticism
Q11

Why does Angelina return home after Francis' accident?

Angelina returns home seeking comfort following the turmoil caused by Francis' car accident. The incident shakes her world and prompts her to seek solace in familiar surroundings. However, this return leads to the discovery that shocks her and causes further conflict with Andrew.

  • angelina
  • home
  • francis accident
  • comfort
  • andrew
Q12

Is Angelina's ending with Margaret truly empowering or does it represent compromise?

Angelina's ending is bittersweet, she achieves career success and stability with Margaret, but this resolution comes at the cost of severed familial ties and personal compromise. While she embraces a new identity and finds purpose, the film presents this as a complex form of autonomy that reflects both empowerment and loss.

  • angelina
  • margaret
  • empowerment
  • compromise
  • bittersweet ending

Movie threads

More Movies Like About Cherry, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes About Cherry tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about sexual exploration and identity like About Cherry

Character dramas exploring sexuality as a path to and from identity. If you were fascinated by the journey in About Cherry, this collection features similar movies about sexual awakening and sex work. These dramas explore complex themes of identity, exploitation, and empowerment, offering a raw and often melancholic look at characters forging their own paths.

  • sensual
  • confrontational
  • transformative
  • conflicted
  • disorienting
  • melancholic
  • Tone: dark, confrontational, melancholic
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically centers on a protagonist using sexual exploration or sex work as a means of escaping a troubled past or seeking control. This path leads to a transformative but morally ambiguous journey, forcing confrontations with exploitation, fractured relationships, and the ultimate cost of newfound independence.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared focus on sexuality as a central theme for character development. They possess a dark, confrontational tone, a steady pacing that allows for character depth, and a heavy emotional weight stemming from the protagonist's internal and external conflicts.

Movies about escaping dysfunctional families like About Cherry

Stories where leaving a broken home leads to complex new beginnings. Fans of About Cherry's portrayal of a young woman fleeing a difficult home life will find similar stories here. These movies focus on the bittersweet act of escape, where freedom from the past is achieved but new challenges and emotional scars define the future.

  • escapist
  • melancholic
  • confrontational
  • transformative
  • conflicted
  • somber
  • Tone: bittersweet, dark, melancholic
  • Pacing: steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a character's decisive act of leaving a damaging family situation. The escape is the catalyst for the entire plot, leading the protagonist into a new, often perilous, world where they must build a new identity. The resolution acknowledges the necessity of the escape but is tinged with melancholy over the relationships severed and the hardships endured.

Why they belong together: These movies share a core narrative of escape as liberation and its complicated aftermath. They consistently feature a heavy emotional weight, a steady or slow pacing that allows for reflection, and a bittersweet or dark tone that acknowledges the pain inherent in cutting ties to seek a better life.

If you liked this

Movies Like About Cherry

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Every angle

About Cherry (2012) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about About Cherry in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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