Cherry (2010)

Cherry, is as minimalistic as they come, but it achieves a degree of empathy, entertainment and pleasure that is rare.
Aaron (Kyle Gallner) is ruled by a very domineering mother. From the day he was born, she groomed him to become an Ivy League student and ever the compliant child, he achieved admission to one such school. He’s there specifically for a top tier engineering program and his mother picks all of his classes for him--with no input from him. He is also a talented artist, a skill neither of his parents condone pursuing. He breaks out a little and opts to take a drawing class as an elective anyway and that’s where he meets Linda (Laura Allen), a much older student who takes a liking to him. A coffee date leads to a dinner date and that’s when Aaron is sure it’s finally going to be his lucky night. The problem is, not only does he discover Linda has a 14-year-old daughter, Beth (Brittany Robertson), but a cop boyfriend, too.
All hope isn’t lost. Sexual tension still exists between Aaron and Linda, but now there’s some between Aaron and Beth as well. Well, most of that tension comes straight from Beth, who’s far beyond her years and has no problem telling everyone exactly what she thinks. Even while being pulled in both directions, Aaron nestles into the family quite nicely, so much so his peers take notice of his absence, he isn’t performing well in class and worst of all, his mother demands to know what’s going on.
This is not your typical college movie--although it shares some elements with the genre. Aaron is the typical incoming clueless freshman who’s at the bottom of the barrel in the sex department. Gallner really carries the entire film with ease. Not only does he have a fully fleshed out and interesting character to work with, he’s an absolute natural in the role. Just as Linda is drawn to Aaron by his innocence and big heart, so is the audience and that’s the element Gallner keeps consistent and highlights throughout the story.
But that’s not to say Allen and Robertson don’t have their moments, too. When Gallner isn’t rightfully claiming the spotlight, both women hold up quite well. Allen takes her character through a shocking transition, going from happy-go-lucky college student to someone with some intense emotional issues. Rather than take the transition to an extreme, Allen keeps Linda in check just enough so you can still sympathize with her, even in her darker moments.
The growth of Gallner through his adopted family--one of whom he would like more of a relationship with, but which one is the thing that keeps shifting--and his ability to move towards emotional independence and maturation is wonderful to watch.