Review of Cherry Tree Lane (2010) by Midlands M — 22 Mar 2011
A middle class couple, Mike and Christine, are "enjoying" an evening in for the night. From the get go, with quiet conversation between husband and wife, their marriage isn't much of a happy one. Their quiet bantering at a small dinner table in their home is interrupted by three thugs who tie them up. They're looking for their son and since he isn't home yet they decide to wait which is where all the fun begins.....well, sort of.
Remember when I said that they're waiting for their son to return? That's exactly what they do. The film is shot in real time, kind of like the same way Panic Room and Funny Games were except those films had a more potent agenda over this film's exploitative nature. The thugs are obviously lower class and if I could quote George Carlin "The poor are there... just to scare the shit out of the middle class!".
This film takes A LOT of cues from Funny Games without the obvious Hollywood torture porn commentary. It's more exploitative, but fits nicely next to Funny Games. The characters, even the couple that's tied up, are NOT likeable enough to care about which makes it all the more disturbing if also a bit disappointing.
The final act of the film just did not work in my opinion. It's the exact opposite of 'Funny Games' from where you think the bad guys get away with it, but don't when the father unties himself and goes on a rampage with a candlestick.
Overall, it's direct inspiration was from Funny Games and you'd probably would want to see that instead.
This review of Cherry Tree Lane (2010) was written by Midlands M on 22 Mar 2011.
Cherry Tree Lane has generally received mixed reviews.
Was this review helpful?
