Cherry, a young man from Ohio played by Tom Holland, narrates his journey through a life marked by turbulence, love, war, and addiction. The story begins in 2007 with Cherry's actions as he approaches a car and skillfully pulls off a bank robbery, explaining his method to the audience and reflecting an underlying sadness about his choices. He mentions feeling a sense of impending doom as he recounts his life.
The narrative then takes us back to 2002 when Cherry was just starting college. During this time, he becomes infatuated with his classmate Emily, played by [Ciara Bravo], despite being involved with Madison. His relationship with Emily deepens, especially after she reveals her troubled past, including her father's infidelity and a physical altercation. Despite her feelings for Cherry, she plans to move to Montreal, which leaves him heartbroken. Their bond culminates in a courthouse wedding just before Cherry enlists in the army, seeking to escape his emotional pain.
Cherry's military journey is harrowing. He undergoes rigorous training, faces the harsh realities of war, and witnesses unimaginable violence and loss. His close comrade Jimenez, whom he befriends, is killed in an explosion, creating a profound impact on Cherry. His experiences in Iraq leave him profoundly scarred, both physically and emotionally.
When Cherry returns home around 2005, he reunites with Emily, and they start a life together, but the trauma from the war lingers. Cherry struggles with PTSD, panic attacks, and physical ailments, which lead to his dependence on painkillers like OxyContin. His behavior becomes increasingly erratic, affecting his relationship with Emily, who also begins to misuse substances, plunging them into addiction.
As their heroin use intensifies, they fall under the influence of a local drug dealer known as Pills and Coke (/actor/jack-reynor), associated with a criminal named Black (/actor/daniel-louis-rivas). Cherry's desperation pushes him into a series of risky criminal acts, including bank robberies, which he executes with increasingly reckless abandon, even writing threatening notes on dollar bills. His addiction spirals out of control, leading to dangerous confrontations and the deaths of acquaintances like Pills.
Cherry's life deteriorates further when Emily tries to escape her addiction by going to rehab, only to run away and rejoin Cherry in their cycle of crime and drug abuse. Their relationship strains under the weight of their addictions, but Cherry is determined to protect Emily from threats from Black, who demands repayment or death. Eventually, Cherry makes a final, desperate move to rob a bank, intending to settle his debts and escape, but his actions are driven by his overwhelming addiction and despair.
In the climax, Cherry is caught, and the police arrive just as he sits down to inject himself for one last time. His criminal life concludes with a prison sentence, but he eventually seeks help, overcomes his addiction, and is released on parole. The story ends with a hopeful note, as Cherry is reunited with Emily, who has also managed to recover, symbolizing a chance for renewal and redemption.
Throughout this powerful narrative, themes of love, trauma, addiction, and redemption are explored with nuance and depth, painting a vivid portrait of a life torn apart and gradually reconstructed.
