In Netflix's ever-evolving catalog, A New Taste of Cherry has arrived, an 8-episode mini-series starring Rosa Salazar (previously seen in Alita - Angel of the battle) based on the novel by Todd Grimson Brand New Cherry Flavor. A surprising and bizarre work, poised between horror and esotericism, against the backdrop of Hollywood in the 90s, the destination par excellence for many young artists in search of fame and success. An excessive and at times indecipherable story, which tries to replicate the sinister colors of Nicolas Winding Refn and the evocative mysteries of David Lynch, however, dispersing many of the most captivating ideas along the way.
With the new taste of cherry: art, horror and esotericism in 90s Los Angeles
In the very first minutes, David Lynch and his Lost Streets winks at the new taste of cherry, with an insistent shot on the centerline and the representation of a murky Los Angeles, the favorite setting of the American master. So let's get to know Lisa Nova, an aspiring director who could take flight from the City of Angels, since her experimental short film made an impression on Lou Burke, Oscar-winning producer looking for a revival after a period of fogging. Everything seems to be going well, until Burke becomes the protagonist of a decidedly inappropriate sexual advance. Lisa's refusal leads to a drastic change of attitude towards her on the part of the producer, who decides to take away the direction of the film adaptation of his short film.
A misadventure similar to the many that came to light thanks to the Me Too movement, which however leads to a hidden turning point. In fact, Lisa makes the acquaintance of Boro (a very good one Catherine Keener), a disturbing and over the top sorceress who proposes to the girl to cast a terrible curse on the man who hurt her deeply. The vices and contradictions of Hollywood are thus intertwined with a sequence of increasingly bloody and revolting rituals, which transform the dream factory into a real daydream.
A purely derivative miniseries
There is a lot of good in the early episodes of To the New Taste of Cherry, starting with a representation of Los Angeles far from the glittering and fairy we are used to and a set of captivating and well-characterized characters, within which the aforementioned Catherine Keener stands out, hilarious and threatening at the same time, and the interpreter of Burke Eric Lange, a sort of indecipherable hybrid between Dude Lebowski and Harvey Weinstein. What is initially configured as a descent into the most squalid and tormented ravines of Los Angeles unfortunately turns out to be a long provocation to the viewer, more of a facade than of substance.
The authors Nick Antosca e Lenore Zion, together with the directors and directors who take turns behind the camera, proceed by accumulation, focusing more on visual disgust (between hallucinogens, vomiting animals, spitting eyes and lysergic dialogues there is really everything) than on the construction of the story and the various issues connected to it. What could have been a symbolic representation of an artist's torments at the cultural crossroads of the 90s quickly turns into a purely derivative work, whose greatest strengths are a handful of truly revolting scenes and the courage to continue to exasperate the narrative with increasingly bizarre and disgusting events.
In an age of stories mixed with a measuring cup in such a way as not to upset anyone, Al nuovo gusto di cherry stands out for its total rejection of any narrative, visual and logical compromise. The mythology that is built up over the course of the episodes still leaves the door open to a more than likely second season, which with a little more control and cohesion could revive this staggering series.
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