Sherrybaby Review

"Sherrybaby" reviews

Movie

Sherrybaby

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2009-11-02 22:16:29

Rating

3/5

Provider

CinemaSource

Review

Maggie Gyllenhaal gives a stunning performance as a drug addict trying to reconnect with her daughter after being paroled.

Story

The story starts just as Sherry (Gyllenhaal), a heroin addict who went to prison for robbing a bank, is getting out on parole. Her brother (Brad William Henke) and sister-in-law (Bridget Barkan) have been raising her young daughter, Alexis (Ryan Simpkins), and Sherry finds that the girl's loyalties are torn. Sherry walks the fine line between surviving and relapsing, as the film follows her struggles to stay clean, find a job, and most importantly, win back her daughter's love.

Acting

Writer/director Laurie Collyer says she picked Gyllenhaal to play Sherry because, ''I believe she is the most exciting actress of her generation,'' and it's hard to disagree. Gyllenhaal is long overdue for awards recognition. Maybe this is the film that will finally let her break through. In what could be a very unlikable role, the actress makes us sympathize with Sherry's struggles, even when she screws up time after time. Gyllenhaal holds nothing back, stripping casually for the camera in several scenes. It's uncomfortable watching how accustomed Sherry is to using her body to get what she needs. Despite the revelations about her character--she was a teenager stripper, her father likely abused her--the film, and Gyllenhaal's performance, is never melodramatic. She makes Sherry a fundamentally sunny person, one we really want to see succeed. As her unlikely sponsor and boyfriend, Danny Trejo at first comes off as just another man out to exploit her, but reveals himself to be a good man and a real grounding force. Sherry's brother Bobby is played by Henke with a quiet patience. Barkan remains sympathetic as his wife, Sherry's main rival for Alexis's love, who doesn't trust Sherry and insists that Alexis stop calling Sherry ''Mommy.'' Simpkins as Alexis is excellent and very natural as she goes from unrestrained joy to seeing her mother again, to eventual fear and mistrust.

Direction

Sherrybaby is a low-key indie filmed matter-of-factly, almost like a documentary, with no razzle-dazzle. The naturalness of the film extends from the performances, to the look and the non-intrusive music score. The story is not a new one and could almost play out like a Lifetime movie of the week, except that it so expertly avoids melodrama at every turn. You keep waiting for Sherry to spiral dangerously out of control or to lose her daughter on their one day out, but the film is about small moments and small steps. And in the end, you're left wanting more, wondering what will happen next to these people. It's the ultimate testament to a good film.

Bottom Line

Hollywood.com rated this film 3 stars.

Movie

Sherrybaby

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2007-07-26 00:00:00

Provider

MyMovies

Review

Maggie Gyllenhaal gets her best role since "Secretary" in this superb indie film that was criminally overlooked at the Oscars last year. She plays Sherry Swanson, a recovering drug addict who gets out of prison after serving three years for drug-related robbery and tries to reconnect with her 9-year-old daughter, Lexi (Ryan Simpkins), who's being looked after by Sherry's brother Bob (Brad William Henke) and his wife Lynn (Bridget Barkan). At the same time she struggles with her addiction and tries to hold down a hard-earned job with children while keeping on the right side of her officious parole officer (Giancarlo Esposito).

The script, by first-time writer-director Laurie Collyer, is superb. There are great characters (notably Danny Trejo as fellow ex-addict Dean) and some terrific scenes - one casually shocking scene in particular gives a heart-breaking insight into the real source of Sherry's problems. Gyllenhaal gives an emotionally raw performance that is extremely moving. Sherry can be infuriating, vulnerable and loveable, often in the same scene - her interactions with both Lexi and the children in her class are particularly telling. There's also strong support from Trejo, who doesn't get to play characters this sensitive very often (aside from his rather brilliant cameo in "Desperate Housewives") and relishes the chance of a role that isn't listed as "Random Thug #2".

Rest assured, "Sherrybaby" isn't one of those doom-and-gloom pictures, despite the subject matter. Ultimately, it's a powerfully emotional study of love, addiction and the importance of family and it's worth seeing for Gyllenhaal's terrific central performance.

Movie

Sherrybaby

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2007-07-20 14:40:13

Provider

Review

Few members of society are afforded more big screen exposure than drug addicts, especially those who are said to be in recovery. All of which is fine were it not for the fact that the life of a junkie is, for the most part, boring and predictable.

Sherry Swanson (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is an ex-junkie who's just been released from prison where she was serving time for robbery. As a result, her young daughter, Alexis (Ryan Simkins), has been brought up by Sherry's brother Bobby (Brad William Henke) and his wife, Lynnette (Bridget Barkan). Essentially Lynnette has become Alexis' mother, leaving her anxious abut the effect Sherry's return will have on her young charge. Sherry, meanwhile, responds by smothering her daughter in a way that's both suffocating and slightly terrifying.

What makes her predicament worse is her inability to relate to men without removing her clothes within moments of meeting them. When an employment counsellor reveals that he intends to ship her off to a factory she sticks her rear in his face and offers to pleasure him. Further, she turns up for a job interview in a skirt that, typically, is laughably tight.

Aside from the trite depiction of Sherry's relationship with her father – the suggestion of something untoward between them is never developed – Sherrybaby is notably more energised than most films of this nature, for which credit must go to Gyllenhaal's superb performance.