Sherrybaby Reviews

• To Call Her a Fearless Actress Is An Understatement

  
  By A3O8YT41TDXL0B on 2007-03-14
  Unflinchingly absorbing from the first scene to the last, Maggie Gyllenhaal brings a candid, earthy aura to "Sherrybaby," her most impressive acting vehicle up to this point. New to DVD, this gut-wrenching look at an ex-convict's struggle to establish control over her life truly sizzles.
  
  Any doubt of Gyllenhaal's abilities is erased only minutes into the film. At the drop of a hat, she makes Sherry Swanson turn from sexual to vulnerable, violent to passive, indifferent to invested, self-assured to insecure. Through it all, she is endearing enough to win over even the most ignorant viewers - the kind who shield their eyes when real-life Sherrys pass them on the street.
  
  When we first meet her, she saunters off the bus in Newark, finally home after three years in prison. Contrasting with the business suits that surround her skimpy strawberry blonde get-up, she hollers after a man merely for brushing against her in a hurry to cross the street; the unfolding of a misfit begins.
  
  Parole Officer Hernandez is played by the ever-brilliant Giancarlo Esposito, who has a knack for playing deceivingly straightforward authority figures. Appropriately hard-headed in his treatment of Sherry yet sympathetic to her misfortune, his character provides a three-dimensional look at the work of those who look after prisoners post-incarceration.
  
  Sherry's heart-rending yet uneasy reunion with her tiny daughter Alexis, portrayed by Ryan Simpkins, sets the stage for the crux of the plot. Having been raised during her mother's incarceration by Sherry's brother Bobby and his wife Lynette, played by Brad William Henke and Bridget Barkan, Alexis is thrown a curveball when her mother suddenly arrives. With an ability to act natural on screen, Simpkins makes Alexis a fully realized character despite her extreme youth, underscoring key plot elements with a pure, uncensored nature par for the course in young children.
  
  Fully intent on being a better mother, Sherry collides with her brother and sister-in-law, who closely regulate her interactions with Alexis out of legitimate concern. When she realizes they have instructed Alexis to address her not as "mommy" but as simply Sherry, tremendous tension ensues, finally ballooning out of control. Sensing the tension between the three adults, the toddler breaks down in tears, unsure of her position at an age when it is all she has to rely on. The juxtaposition of Sherry's urban life with her family's quiet existence in suburban Mountainside underscores their inevitable differences.
  
  Dominant male figures are perhaps overly important to Sherry's definition of herself. Her relationship with her father, wisely underplayed by Sam Bottoms, is more pivotal than first meets the eye, providing context for her conflicted past. She also develops a relationship with recovered addict Dean, played by Danny Trejo, who becomes an unlikely anchor with his wizened, world-weary outlook.
  
  It's easy to dismiss Sherry as someone who is raunchy and immoral, but an attentive viewing reveals the reasons behind her complexities. Gyllenhaal draws her character like an artist draws a painting, giving her depth and dimension that takes the viewer deeper and deeper in as the plot progresses. To call her a fearless actress would be an understatement.
  
  Gyllenhaal fronts a top-notch cast in this gritty, unglamorous slice of life. For powerful acting, an engrossing story and wall-to-wall on-location shots of New Jersey to boot, "Sherrybaby" delivers the goods hand over fist.
  
  

• Maggie shines as Sherry Swanson!!

  
  By A2MKP6XVQW645D on 2007-01-08
  I went to the screening in LA last night for Sherry Baby. I wasn't going to attend but I am so glad that I did; even gladder still that the invite made it to me in the first place!
  
  Suject matter is very adult but presented so telling and so honest and Maggie redeems her character with perfection. I've seen Maggie act before but never like this. Everyone did such a marvelous job. It's like watching people you know; not like being in a movie theater.
  
  Great job!! Buy this movie as a permanent addition to your collection and watch it with your friends. The discussion it will bring forth after you watch the movie is worth the price of admission & more!!
  
  

• Maggie Gyllenhaal shines in Sherrybaby.

  
  By A1TWTULVD6F22O on 2007-02-04
  Out of prison, clean at last, Sherry Swanson (Maggie Gyllenhaal) dreams of being a mother to daughter Alexis, who has spent the last three years with her brother and sister-in-law. Sherry was arrested on drug possession charges, her drug of choice being heroine. Now she confronts her demons in the form of family....sister-in-law Lynnette has bonded with the young girl, and has postponed her own family to raise her. How can Lynnette reconcile giving up her care to the fragile, emotionally shattered Sherry?
  
  Moving from man to man and trying to erase her memories of life with her own father, Sherry is a selfish and childish shell of what she might have been, who can only relate to men on the basis of her sexuality. She couples with the manager of a half-way house, finds a troubled partner from her days as a stripper, and tries to seduce her parole officer (Giancarlo Esposito in a wonderfully understated role on the big screen...you remember his intensity from television's "Homicide"). A meeting with her father results in a reinforcement of this childlike behavior. The film is a frank and seamless report of Sherry's encounters with life, bouncing off the bad times without learning from them and continuing on in a subtle dance of drifting from place to place, of living with life without coping or facing down your own issues.
  
  The encounters that Sherry wants the most, the times she gets to be with Alexis, don't go well; Alexis is uncomfortable, a little defiant, afraid. As Sherry begins to realize that what she hoped for, what she left her addiction for, what she focused on in prison...the relationship with her daughter is almost impossible to repair, she begins the slow spiral downhill of giving up on herself. Cheap and brassy, surrounded by a gritty, realistic portrayal of the surroundings of the worst of New Jersey, Maggie Gyllenhaal as a bottle blonde is incredibly believable as Sherry. You sense her vulnerability, you are drawn to her charisma, but ultimately, you are repulsed by her behavior and afraid to believe in her. She doesn't believe in herself, after all. The breathless waiting you have for Sherry to give up on herself, to return to her destructive self, to feed her demons, creates suspense in the film.
  
  Laurie Collyer directs a character study of Gyllenhaal's challenge with real life and backs it up with tight, focused camera shots of Sherry from every angle, revealing her inner thoughts, with the contrast of middle class New Jersey and the ugly, dirty streets available to ex-cons. She sets the mood with the music and tries hard to present Sherry's tale as a feature film; but it disintegrates into more of a documentary as Collyer lets the tale meander and repeat itself through Sherry's ups and downs - there is no clarity to the point that is being made. The film becomes a showcase for the central performance.
  
  Gyllenhaal, who opened my eyes with her work in "The Secretary", chose the role in character with what she consistently presents on the screen - her ability to inhabit the character. Contrary to most actresses of her generation, Gyllenhaal is not afraid to make unique choices and to build her reputation as an actress to be reckoned with. In "Sherrybaby", a film that was less than a critical success, that went almost directly to video, she shows that she can carry a film, and doubtless will reap the rewards of better and better scripts in upcoming years. She is marvelous here.
  
  The film is less so, but still worth a view. Don't buy the DVD for the extras, there are none - it is a stripped down version designed to allow the public to experience Gyllehaal's performance, ashamedly at award season.
  
  
  

• Gyllenhaal's Courageous Turn Illuminates an Unflinching Look at a Addict Reclaiming Her Life and Child

  
  By A13E0ARAXI6KJW on 2007-01-28
  Maggie Gyllenhaal emerges as an undeniably powerful actress in the title role of this low-budget 2006 indie. Rather than providing her usual scene-stealing turn, she gets to convey the nuances of a full-blown character by delivering an astonishing range of emotion as a struggling ex-convict. The film reminds me quite a bit of Ulu Grosbard's overlooked 1978 "Straight Time" in which Dustin Hoffman plays a paroled ex-burglar who cannot shake his former life. Both provide incisive looks into the hardscrabble existence of people trying desperately to reform, but in doing so, the stories become so desultory and the situations start to have a by-the-numbers feeling that the dramatic momentum dissipates toward their inevitable conclusions.
  
  Directed and written by Laurie Collyer, the film takes an unflinching look at Sherry Swanson, a former heroin addict just released on parole after three years in prison for robbery. Returning home to New Jersey, she is desperate to stay clean and sober in order to reclaim her young daughter Alexis from her sympathetic brother Bobby and his conflicted wife Lynette. Without drugs, Sherry's addictive behavior manifests itself in cigarettes, alcohol and emboldened sexual acts to get what she needs. Yet, her biggest addiction is her relentless pursuit of an idealized image of herself as a mother, and it is her disconnect with reality that produces the film's most poignant moments. Otherwise, the movie gets increasingly frustrating to watch because Collyer provides only hints of what Sherry brought her to her dilemma. What we see mainly are flashes of short-tempered narcissism when we see people understandably looking to emotionally disengage from her, including her indiscriminate father.
  
  There are some surprisingly graphic scenes that show how Sherry uses her shopworn beauty as emotional armor when Collyer could have better used them to underline her melancholy mental state. In the face of these script shortcomings, Gyllenhaal displays enough dexterity to fill in a lot of the blanks, especially when she shows how Sherry starts realizing the depth of her accountability for her problems. Brad William Henke provides solid support as Bobby, as does Bridget Barkan as Lynette, Danny Trejo as a supportive fellow addict, Giancarlo Esposito as Sherry's hardened parole officer, and ebullient little Ryan Simpkins as Alexis. I have to admit I could not wait for the 96-minute movie to be over, but it is worthwhile for Gyllenhaal's courageous work as it is she who holds the film together. Sadly, the 2007 DVD does not contain any significant extras (a commentary from Gyllenhaal and Collyer would have been most welcome) other than the trailer.
  
  

• Maggie Gyllenhaal will hold your attention for the whole 96 minutes!

  
  By ASEBX8TBYWQWA on 2007-01-19
  This is certainly not the "feel good" movie of the year but it is one of the best actibg turns I've seen recently. Maggie Gyllenhaal, who has been known mostly for roles as quirky women ("Secretary" was just one), is the reason to see this tale of a drugged out criminal who is trying to get her life back in order and regain her young daughter. We never learn who the child's father is or the circumstances of the child's birth. Actually all we know is that "mommy was sent to prison for stealing". And, though you keep rooting for Sherry (Maggie's title role) to "make it", you know it's a tough road.
  
  Despite the plot flaws, and missing pieces, you will be unable to take your eyes off of Maggie. (The fact that there are multiple scenes of Gyllenthaal's gorgeous nude body are just "icing on the cake"). There's lots of expletives here too so it's not a family film.
  
  Her acting is stunning!
  
  The star rating is based on the fact that the DVD release is devoid of any supplementals except for the film's trailer. There must have been deleted scenes - helping to flesh out Sherry's background - but none are included. And a Director's commentary would have helped too!
  
  Maggie was nominated for a Golden Globe - but lost - and should be in the Oscar noms, which will be announced next week.
  
  This film is definitely worth watching just to see this performance , which ranks on a par with Charlize Theron's turn in Monster a few years ago.
  
  Steve Ramm
  
  
  
• sad really sad
  By AJ9FC1GZOTA1O on 2007-01-28
  what to do w an actress who can barely act?? ---shoot her from behind !!!! since there isnt much of anything going on on her face or in her eyes-- the filmmakers had to resort apparently to shooting the film this way-- check it out for yerself-- throughout most of the film scenes are shot this way-we see her hair--- not her eyes---not her face why- because nothings going on w this actress---shes cute shes sexy - so we see her nude-- shot upon shot of her cleavage-- her legs-- ok-- but no acting !! -- the film is boring when shes in scenes--every one else in the movie is very believable-- esp compared to her- glueinhall acts generalities--neglects to create a character-- shes one of these so called actresses who is just a hottie that tasteless producer directors who also have minimal talent (?) want to work w--you wont ever see this gluein hall in anything substantial-- you will never see her create a character---she can act natural enough in front of a camera- shes only slightly self conscious---a lot of actors of this generation think acting is just acting natural -- because they are not capable of anything more-- furthermore-this is a movie w no real plot---the prurient meaningless sex may keep the eyes of the dullards who expect nothing out of a movie interested i guess--- nothing real or creative goes on here- another emporers new clothes-- an embarassing paucity of riches here- the scene where glue in hall sings off key at the dinner table-- supposed to be poignant telling--- its just annoying---- when she slams the door at the end of that scene--- its a rich example of this actress who can curse and slam a door-- but w no character having been created-- its just meaningless---the reason why we have never seen betty davis meryl streep hepburn---or other actresses nude is not only because of standards imposed by themor others-- its because they were too busy acting & creating a character involved in compelling stories---and want that shown !! brando said the key to film acting is not blinking-- the eyes are the windows to the soul ! in a better movie for example nicholson and ann margaret lets say -- these were compelling characters first---- not just hot bodies---another great nicholoson movie where hes got an actress around his waist--- doing it and banging into walls--etc--- that was compelling !! but this nonsense is disgusting not because of the gratuitous sex--but because of whats missing besides the sex and prurience--- its shocking to see the characters father molest her as she cries in his arms-its mildly interesting watching a bad actresss doing drugs and all the other pathetic things going on here-- but we have little sympathy for her-- due to her not makling the character real enough---stars usually insist on their being shot from the front in scenes--so we can see their work !!!!!!!!! she had no work to show so we see her eyes-- blank and dead anyway-- for only fleeting moments-- in a movie where shes in almost every scene !! i know a druggies eyes are supposed to look dead sometimes i guess-- but an actress playing her has to give more to keep us interested-- theres a new surreal tv show on now-- where we see real drug addicts acting badly-- and the last one i saw -- a young girl -obv on drugs-- was so much more compelling to watch than poor maggie here---if maggie was doing any realwork here wouldnt the myriad scenes w her have been shot so we could see her eys and face ! and one more thing-- i learned in college-- that drama involves a character changing somehow--- since this character stays the same throughout -- theres no real drama going on anyway---- we see her more clearly in each scene as the spoiled screwed up white trash sexually abused mess she was in the first scene---supposed to see it anyway----mediocre movie-- acted better by everyone but the lead---sad indeed !
  
  
• Stellar performance drives this harrowing movie about addiction and recovery
  By AAIL33CYCT47J on 2007-02-06
  I'll start with a warning: "Sherrybaby" is a very downbeat, gloomy movie. Sherry Swanson, played brilliantly by Maggie Gyllenhaal, has had a very depressing life and the movie's bare-bones look at her attempts to reform and become a good mother to her daughter hits some abysmal lows in the way she continues to be degraded by the harsh judgments of the world and, predominantly, herself. It's just not a feel good movie, so anyone looking for frivolity or endless repeat viewing had best look elsewhere.
  
  Now, having gotten that out of the way, I want to implore you to watch "Sherrybaby" anyway, because while the movie isn't bouncy fun it is an unflinchingly honest and devastating portrait of a young woman in crisis. Sherry makes some bad choices, sure, but thanks to Gyllenhaal you see the extent of the damage that has been done to her, and you find yourself on the edge of your seat because you desperately want her to be all right in the end. To say that Sherry's life hasn't gone according to plan would be an egregious understatement. By sixteen she was performing for seedy older men for money under the moniker 'Lolita,' hooked on heroin, and it is implied that she was sexually molested by her father. Most of her old acquaintances are either dead of overdoses or in jail, and she has no idea where her daughter's father is -- assuming he's still alive, that is. In Gyllenhaal's blank stare you can feel every wound and imagine every dream that has been dashed forever in Sherry's bleak existence, and in her prematurely world-weary creases the fear that she will never get the normal life she so desperately craves becomes palpable. It is a performance that is at once bold and understated, and the fact that Gyllenhaal failed to get nominated for an Academy Award seems to be the final nail in the coffin of that institution's ability to reward such daring indie performances as this one. It's a triumph so lived-in that you can almost smell the stale aroma of cigarettes following around her. The supporting players are also very good, but this is Gyllenhaal's vehicle, and it is her work that makes the film work so well.
  
  And what a film! Sherry's fumbling attempts at motherhood and sobriety don't tug at your heartstrings so much as rip them out and scrape them across the floor, but rarely does that experience feel so exhilarating as it does here. "Sherrybaby" is not a movie for the faint of heart, but it is a movie for anyone who has a heart -- and it will stay with you long after the final reel. How many movies can you honestly say that about?
  
  
• a different kind of suspense
  By A33G2XG1S5NSH1 on 2007-02-03
  About halfway through watching this fine movie, I realized that I was just as tense as hell. Tension, of course, implies emotional investment, and emotional investment implies that a movie is really clicking.
  
  The movie is about a recovering heroin addict who has just been released on parole from prison, and about her increasingly frustrated attempts to get to know the daughter she had to leave behind. I won't go into the rest of the plot, but suffice it to say that Sherry's struggles had me on edge. I wouldn't even consider classifying the movie as a suspense film . . . but I found myself in absolute suspense, feeling during practically every scene that things were on the verge of going wrong, and BADLY wrong at that. I found that I was feeling more suspense over what was going to become of poor Sherry than I can remember feeling at the movies in a while.
  
  Needless to say, the best reason to see the movie is Maggie Gyllenhaal. Shr's really pretty great. She really inhabits the character, and what's she's doing often feels less like Acting than it does like . . . well, like you're just watching a real person. Some people are put off by that kind of performance, but for the rest of us, she's pretty sublime here. (And I've got to say it . . . DAMN is she hot. Call me whatever you like, but it's true. The costume designer for this movie, who apparently had the idea for Gyllenhall to AT NO POINT wear a bra, ought to be given some sort of special Oscar. Sexist rant now ceases. Seriously, though . . . HOT.)
  
  I was also delighted to find Danny Trejo playing a normal character in this movie. He's usually playing a criminal or some other type of thug, but here he's just a charming, helpful ex-con trying to help Sherry stay clean. I suppose there's a darker side to that story if you really care to see it, but I'm too pleased to see Trejo getting different kind of work, and being good at it, too.
  
  I also admire how economical the screenplay is. The film is only 96 minutes long, but it feels neither too short nor too long. Every scene serves a solid purpose, and none of them are squandered. You don't get that in very many movies. Usually even the best movies have scenes that could easily have been cut.
  
  Highly recommended for anyone who likes movies about character.
  
  (One final note. I'm interested in how this movie serves as a darker sort of companion piece to one of 2006's biggest moneymakers, "The Pursuit of Happyness." Both movies are about troubled single parents who spend the entire movie on a nearly Homeric quest to achieve a specific goal. It would make for an interesting double feature, and I'm intrigued by the fact that two of the year's most-lauded performances come from such thematically similar movies.)
  
  
• Gyllenhaal a step above
  By A33CLVW2K7SL1P on 2007-04-12
  Sherrybaby is the story of Sherry Swanson (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a woman recently out of prison and on strict parole. Her brother and his wife have spent the last three years taking care of her daughter, and she desperately wants to be a part of her daughter's life again. Sherry, though, doesn't seem to have ever learned social graces, and this extends not only to offering favors to the director of her halfway house, but also in her explanation to her five-year-old daughter as to why she was gone so long. She tells her daughter, rather inappropriately, that she stole money from people to buy drugs.
  
  When we meet Sherry's alcoholic father, we understand her inability to cope, although it's not terribly surprising. What surprised me was that we learned that her brother was aware of whatever relationship the two of them had and didn't talk to Sherry about it. That's certainly not unbelievable, as it's not uncommon for people to ignore the elephant in the room, but it's frustrating.
  
  Gyllenhaal's performance was strong, but everyone else turned in rote performances with little or no emotional depth.
  
  This DVD did not come with captions or subtitles, so this reviewer, who is hearing impaired, had difficulty following all of the dialogue. In 2007, there shouldn't be a DVD on the market that doesn't have captions or subtitles.
  
  
• Uncompromisingly realistic, beautifully realized
  By ABN5K7K1TM1QA on 2007-05-02
  She is what she is. She is not able to restrain herself. She needs gratification. She can't postpone it. She succumbs to whatever it is, sex, heroin, alcohol, nicotine...love. She is impulsive and she flies off the handle easily. She doesn't know that she behaves badly. She doesn't know that is not the way to dress. Or perhaps she does. She needs to be gratified, and so probably that is why she dresses that way.
  
  She was sexually abused by her father who loved her. But who does she love? She desperately wants her daughter to love her. Do you love me? she asks. Say, "I love you, Mommie." The child does, but suddenly--and this is the denouement of the movie--Sherry realizes that there is some question about whether the child should love her. Yes, she has the stretch marks, but really does she deserve the title of "mother"? And does she love herself? Probably not, and maybe that is her biggest problem. It is said that women who are always seeking sex are really seeking a love that they cannot find. One always feels that if only they would pick the right man. But this is an illusion. There is no right man until she is the right woman.
  
  Maggie Gyllenhaal does an outstanding job of becoming this woman who is lost in this world without a compass as to how she should behave and why, who is lost to everything but her immediate feelings. She is a child emotionally and she cannot understand why it is that life is so hard for her and why the world is so cruel.
  
  This is a masterful portrait of a kind of person that is part of humanity. A good person at heart, not someone who would do others deliberate harm, but a person who is blind to who she is and to how others see her. Into what world does she belong? is a question I kept asking myself. I don't know the answer.
  
  Laurie Collyer's direction is exquisite. The players and especially the little girl are wonderfully directed. Everything is like the people next door without a hint of anything phony. The contemporary Garden State setting is real and the details and the atmosphere are as genuine as the New Jersey Turnpike. And the ending surprises. It is perfect but in a way that I suspect most viewers will not be able to predict. I know it surprised me.
  
  My hat is off to Laurie Collyer and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Thank you for this modest little masterpiece and for not compromising reality or putting in any unnecessary fig leaves or giving in to any notions of political correctness. This is just a pure slice of life movie with a beginning, a middle and an end, beautifully realized. And yes it is rated R.
  
  
• helpless and sad exactly like holle berry's "losing isaiah"
  By A32AK8FOAZEPE2 on 2007-01-08
  this young woman's struggles didn't move me but sadden me a lot. a story being told many times already, almost similar to holle berry's 'Losing Isaiah'. same helpless and hopeless situation and storyline. maggie gyllenhaal did a very good and unpretentious job in this actually pretty boring movie. the father's was a mis-cast, looked too young to be her father. furthermore, why everytime a production out of hollywood would have to put a woman to find a job by bending over or kneeling down in front a man? it's not just cliched but also very disgusting.
  well, tough luck. if sherry's brother and his wife(especially the wife) got kids by themselves, then they might not be so parentally protective and selfish to sherry's daughter. if sherry not turned out to be drug addict and imprisoned so long, this story might not even have happened. what goes around, comes around. you could blame to sherry's bad zodiac and feng suei.
  
  
• An Extraordinary Performance
  By A3ONCOK36KPOV8 on 2007-02-13
  Maggie Gyllenhaal delivers an Oscar Caliber performance as a drug addicted ex-convict, who is trying to reclaim her daughter and life. She brings this train-wreck of a woman to vivid life, totally disappearing into the character. Many have described this film as sad, bleak, and disturbing. It is all of these things because the story seems so authentic and real, and her performance is so good. She seems like a real person rather than an actress playing a role: everyone has met someone like Sherry. I believe this is a much better film than some of the reviews here would suggest. So many films today are fluffy, forgettable and emotionally unengaging. This one is strong medicine: it grabs you and pulls you in. My wife liked it a lot, but actually had trouble sleeping after watching it. Since when do all movies have to be syrupy, feel-good confections with an unambiguous happy ending? It is refreshing to see one that seems so honest and real. Ms. Gyllenhaal's performance made me empathize with, and ultimately root for a junkie ex-con. I look forward to seeing this fine actress in future films.
  
  
• Gyllenhaal Is A Time Bomb To Watch
  By A1MECEHZHFE5PT on 2007-03-09
  "Sherry Baby" Is a great movie, with wonderful acting and a good script.
  Gyllenhaal as Sherry is a virtual time bomb to watch ,You never know when or if she is going to go off the deep end.
  Her intentions are good but she just cant seem to get it together,with scenes of her father groping her breasts while he consoles her and her acting like its an everyday normal occurrence to scenes of her being very sexually promiscuous without a fore or after thought about the consequences' in her mind that's what women do to get a reward or to be loved .
  It can be heart breaking at times but sometimes you want to shake her and say NO~!! This is not how it works..
  Gyllenhaal is definitely Oscar worthy in this role and was snubbed by the academy as she was in "Secretary "
  She's one of the most versatile and believable actresses working in movies today.
  It's worth a rent and actually a buy because it's a movie I can watch over and over again.
  
  
  
• Sherry is Pathetic, Abused, Self-Absorbed and Very REAL
  By AQALTWTLGTUM1 on 2007-01-26
  Maggie Gyllenhaal as Sherry demonstrates a character who has to fight the system (hostile Parole Officers, advantage seeking counselors), her own internal demons (addiction, immaturity, and low-self esteem), and the external demons (a father who appears supportive but only so he can continue the sexual abuse of his self-destructive daughter, though is it any wonder? Plus a daughter who doesn't know her). Sherry's only real ally is her brother who shows genuine caring and support for a sister who lives a reverse (perverse) philosophy existence contrary of everything he believes in (he even notes that he quit smoking displaying his strength to her weaknesses). Sherry is self-destructive, and a victim, yet she's a fighter too. Dean, who she believes is her friend, still uses her for sex unbeknownst to her own naïve nature. Additionally, she's quite willing to use her sexual prowess to get ahead, because her low self-esteem has her believing it's all she has. So sad, and just so Realistic. A MUST see.
  
  
• Great role for Gyllenhaal
  By A2R1GFS6P1PC18 on 2007-02-11
  The role of the "bad girl" has been very, very good to young actresses lately--just think of Julia Roberts ("Erin Brockavich"), Charlize Theron ("Monster"), Angelina Jolie ("Girl, Interrupted") to name a few that have won Oscar accolades by going blonde and tough.
  
  Now, it's Maggie Gyllenhaal's turn, and she doesn't disappoint at all. In the first role where she is asked to carry an entire movie, Maggie displays impressive acting chops...( and nice gams, too.)
  
  Sherry Swanson (Gyllenhaal) is first seen as she returns to her hometown area, on parole from prison. She is a dirty sweet, tough-on-the-outside girl who flaunts a cool, but thin veneer of confidence. She also smokes cigarettes with more moxie than any movie blonde since Gena Rowlands. As she checks into the halfway house, she takes no guff from the girls, and immediately begins using her sexuality on men to get what she wants. Her single-minded goal is to reunite with her very young daughter, Lexie,and take custody of her again. To do that, she has to fight through the barrier of her brother and his wife, who have cared for Lexie while Sherry was in prison.
  
  When she finally reaches her brother Bobby's home, Gyllenhaal's character begins to reveal her true self. Her look, which before was predominantly one of blankness, dissolves into expressions of repressed anger, sadness, and need. Gyllenhaal's expressive face registers every emotional state without having to resort to overacting.
  
  When her father arrives at Bobby's house, Sherry shows that beneath it all, she is more of a needy child than Lexie. Later on, the reasons for her arrested development are made obvious, when her father comforts her in a very inappropriate manner. As Sherry undergoes a transition from blonde to brunette, her facade of toughness begins to dissolve. Sherry begins to crumble. In the end, she finally admits that she's not ready to raise her daughter, and belatedly acknowledges her brother's role as caretaker.
  
  Maggie Gyllenhaal's expertly shaded performance is the primary reason to see this movie. But, beyond that the movie doesn't have that many strong points. It is good at showing the way that social workers interact with offenders--sometimes with toughness, sometimes with a coziness that borders on impropriety.
  
  "Sherrybaby" is a movie with limited ambitions. It amounts to a good, but not great "Indie". The musical score seems so "Indie-fied" that it is really kind of annoying, and the denouement of the story is a bit pat.
  
  Most importantly, Maggie Gyllenhaal here has made an announcement that she is an actor to be reckoned with.
  
  
  
• Cutting off the Ball and Chain
  By A3EE0H0NWQ9QVL on 2007-01-25
  Maggie Gyllenhaal is on a roll. She's had several fine performances, but this time she outshines herself in 'Sherrybaby'. In this movie she plays an ex-convict on parole after three years in prison. Getting out is a hard transition, and Gyllenhaal knows her character thoroughly. Being someone who stole money to supply a heroin addiction, her road to recovery in and out of prison is rocky at best. She has tough parole officers who won't give her an inch and starts living in a half-way house with others who are a living hell. A recovering addict and former inmate, her nerves are frayed, so it is understandable that she is impatient to get her life back together. Her daughter, Alexis, has stayed with her brother, Bobby (Brad William Henke) and sister-in-law, Lynette (Bridget Barkas). Alexis is happy to see her mother, but is torn between her and her uncle's family whom she accepts as her own. Her sister-in-law is protective and isn't willing just to give up her foster child at the drop of a hat.
  
  The film is written and directed by Laurie Collyer, who, along with Gyllenhaal, keep the movie real throughout. It is always a step forward for Sherry who is torn between being a good citizen and model mother, and the old Sherry who got herself into trouble in the first place. Often times she finds herself going to AA meetings one minute; then offering sex to get ahead, the next. We don't always like the character, but, this is really to the film's credit. She's a believable, but not always a good, protagonist. One old acquaintance, has some good advice, "If you wouldn't talk about what you want all the time...Maybe it will come to you." Her recitation of the St. Francis Prayer at AA meetings pinpoints her condition, "Give me the help to change what I can, accept what I can't, and the ability to know the difference." It's at the crux of the problem. While some of the movie develops like a fine TV adventure, key elements, especially Gyllenhaal's remarkable performance, make the movie a fine film.
  
  
• Stunning Performance By Gyllenhaal
  By A1HG2DOSBZEX4I on 2007-07-23
  Laurie Collyer's Sherrybaby presents the bleak picture of a woman just released from prison trying to reconnect with her life, her family, and most importantly with the child she left behind.
  
  Maggie Gyllenhaal gives the performance of her career as the title character who is caught in a life spinning out of control. Fighting her own demons and addictions she must come face to face with her past in order to reclaim her present. The film features stand out performances by Brad William Henke as her brother Bobby, Giancarlo Esposito as her parole officer, Danny Trejo as Dean Walker, the man trying to get into her life and a surprisingly good performance by Ryan Simkins as her daughter Alexis. Despite all these performances the film is dominated by the work of Gyllenhaal. She appears in literally every seen and is fearless in her determination to get the part right.
  
  The disc does not offer any special features but does include a 5.1 soundtrack. The cinematography by Russell Lee Fine perfectly shows off the New Jersey landscapes that make up Sherry Swanson's life. First time director Collyer deserves kudos for her work also.
  
  This small gem was one of the sleepers of 2006 and should not be missed.
  
  
• mesmerizing Gyllenhaal performance
  By A19ZXK9HHVRV1X on 2007-08-18
  ****1/2
  
  Rarely have I seen a performer more completely inhabit a role than Maggie Gyllenhaal does in "Sherrybaby," an exquisitely realized drama that hits nary a single false note en route to its heartrending climax.
  
  Sherry Swanson is a recovering heroin addict who has, as she herself puts it, "made all the wrong choices in life." Now out on parole and living in a halfway house in Northern New Jersey, Sherry finally has the chance to make things right both in her own life and with the young daughter she was forced to give up to her brother and sister-in-law when she went into rehab and prison. Sherry is a survivor, but one whose hold on life is often a precarious and tenuous one even at the best of times - and these are clearly not the best of times.
  
  The beautiful thing about "Sherrybaby" is how, in her first full-length fictional film, writer/director Laurie Collyer allows the drama to unfold naturally, never pushing the material in any particular direction just to make a point. Indeed, there is nothing forced or contrived about the narrative at all. Displaying remarkable confidence as both a filmmaker and a storyteller - and evincing a strong feeling for the rhythms of everyday life - Collyer never allows the movie to slip over into the realm of melodrama despite endless opportunities to do so. As a director, she's smart enough to know what a great thing she has in Gyllenhaal, and thus she allows the actress full rein in developing the character. Every action, every movement, every facial expression on the part of the actress feels absolutely authentic to the person Sherry is. Like any living, breathing, fully developed character, Sherry is a walking mass of contradictions. Feisty, hardnosed and quick-to-anger as she can be at times, she also possesses a tenderness and vulnerability that make us believe she can truly change. And Gyllenhaal captures all those moods and contradictions perfectly without ever once veering into overstatement or scenery-chewing histrionics.
  
  Although I don't think Gyllenhaal is ever off the screen for a single moment in the film, her tour de force performance is not the only one worth taking note of here. There is also exceptional work by Brad William Henke, Bridget Barkin, Danny Trejo, Sam Bottoms, Giancarlo Esposito, and, above all, Ryan Simpkins, who, at the tender age of seven, is already a powerhouse of acting talent as Sherry's beloved daughter, Alexis.
  
  Naturalism in both performance and atmosphere is what makes "Sherrybaby" such a compelling and convincing movie-watching experience. The film has the rare power to draw viewers into its own private world and to make them an integral part of the characters' lives.
  
  "Sherrybaby," in addition to being one of the best movies of 2006 in its own right, will be forever remembered as a showcase for one of the finest pieces of acting ever put on the screen.
  
  
• Perfect movie to let Gyllenhaal shine!
  By A1SPB225CVTRUU on 2007-01-27
  The reason I was interested in seeing this movie was the Oscar buzz on Maggie Gyllenhaal. I was certainly hoping she would be getting a more challenging role after Secretary. Sherrybaby is a very heavy duty film to watch, because there's a lot issues involved by Sherry. She gets out of jail, on a probation and intends to reconnect to her little girl. She had to start all over again by finding a job and trying to stay clean at the same time. She was willing to offer her potential employer sexual favors if she gets hired. She goes to AA meetings and still ramdomly has casual sex with strangers while trying to stay away from substances. At this point I am already comparing Maggie's performance and character to Maggie Cheung's Clean, because it's almost like watching a remake of Clean with some additional disturbing issues like father-daughter incestious love and a ton of nudity and sex. Yes, the movie really focused well on the road of recovery in Sherry's life, and about the choices she makes and how she must survive her past in order to make better choices. After viewing this film, I am thinking had the studio pushed for Gyllenhaal, she could've taken the Oscar nomination held by Meryl Streep.
  
  
• Gyllenhaal's Performance Squeaks A Positive Rating Out Of This Mundane Flick
  By A2ATWKOFJXRRR1 on 2007-02-14
  ***CONTAINS SPOILERS***
  
  SHERRYBABY has garnered accolades from the general public and professional critics alike. And although Maggie Gyllenhaal's (WORLD TRADE CENTER) performance as an embittered, used-up druggie just released from prison is well-rendered, the story, as a whole, wasn't completely entertaining nor cohesive.
  
  We first meet Sherry Swanson as she walks down the street after being released from jail. She journey's to a half-way house for recent parolees and rents a room. Her goal, though, is to reconnect with her estranged four-year-old daughter, Alexis (Ryan Simpkins), who lives with Sherry's brother Bobby (Brad William Henke, NORTH COUNTRY) and protective wife Lynette (Bridget Barkan). Bobby and Lynette have taken on the mantle of parents to Alexis, and although Bobby is willing to let Sherry get close to Alexis, Lynette is anything but willing. This obviously angers Sherry and conflicts with her desire to be a good, close mother.
  
  Added to this stressor is Sherry's physical desire for male companionship and the heroin she used to use. She tries to stay on the straight-and-narrow but soon falls back into her old lifestyle.
  
  Battling her motherly bond along with a history of incestuous abuse by her father, Sherry has so much on her plate that it overwhelms her, causing her to make bad choices.
  
  The culmination of these poor judgements presents itself when she tries to abscond with Alexis and crosses state lines (a huge parole violation). But can she understand what's happening to her? Can she make the connection between her own poor upbringing and that of her daughter's uncertain future? This comes to fruition in a public bathroom where Sherry loses her cool and frightens Alexis to the point of incontinence.
  
  In the end, Sherry does the right thing and returns Alexis to the safety of Bobby and Lynette's home. But at what cost to herself? What will happen to Sherry now that she's given over much of her parental and motherly duties to her brother and sister-in-law?
  
  This is where the biggest script concern lay for Sherrybaby. The resolution is too loose, only showing us Sherry driving away from Bobby and Lynette's home with no understanding as to what will happen to her and Alexis.
  
  Nothing should be taken away from Gyllenhaal's performance, though. She is the shining star in this otherwise mundane story. And it is her, and only her, that will keep you watching the film.
  
  
• Memorable Portrait of a Woman Struggling with Her Own Faults & Frailty.
  By A3UPYGJKZ0XTU4 on 2007-03-01
  Maggie Gyllenhaal gives a startlingly ingenuous performance in "Sherrybaby", a raw character drama about a troubled woman trying to reconnect with her young daughter and stabilize her life after spending a couple of years in prison. Frustrated that her brother (Brad William Henke) and sister-in-law have become parents to her daughter and quickly reminded of the family problems that scarred her in the past, Sherry Swanson (Maggie Gyllenhaal) finds freedom more difficult than imprisonment. Harassed by a hardened parole officer (Giancarlo Esposito) and helped by one newfound friend (Danny Trejo), Sherry tries to cope in the only ways she can -which have never been especially successful.
  
  Maggie Gyllenhaal is an actress who banishes her own ego from her roles, and that's just what is required to embody a woman like Sherry Swanson. She's fragile and desperate but must make do with limited emotional resources and overwhelming emotional needs that can only be satiated temporarily by drugs -the thing that will land her right back in prison. Gyllenhaal makes Sherry's pain visible, so that we sympathize with her deeply while rebuking her selfishness. Coincidentally, Maggie Cheung's portrayal of another drug-addicted mother struggling to reclaim her child in "Clean" is also among 2007's most memorable performances. Both films are brilliant portraits of fragility and frustration. The only bonus feature on the Universal 2007 DVD is a theatrical trailer (2 1/2 min).
  
  
  
• Fine performance ruined by too much sex
  By A2EZPWH2V610ZN on 2007-03-05
  Without doubt Maggie Gyllenhaal gives an outstanding performance as Sherry (with the title as a take off on the old song, "Sherry Baby"?) However, I couldn't even finish the film after the 5th or 6th gratuitous sex scene. My wife was completely bored since she is not a fan of bleak films or independent films, for that matter.
  
  As a great fan of foreign films, Fellini, Bergman, Truffaut, etc.; I have no problem with slow paced films or steamy sex in moderation but why do they have to do it to the point that it takes away from some fine performances such as the brother, sister-in-law, daughter and the Indian ex-addict who befriends Sherry, all fine performances by strong actors?
  
  So they should give Maggie and the other actors awards and send the director and/or editors of this film back to film school!
  
  
• Worth seeing if you like Gyllenhaal
  By A3A5UDBYMTABG on 2007-03-06
  I really liked Maggie Gyllenhaal's performances in Secretary and Stranger than Fiction, so I decided to give this one a try. I didn't think it was as bleak as the Amazon reviewer said. Gyllenhaal's character, Sherry, is overcoming a drug addiction and on parole, but she truly loves her daughter and wants to be her mother.
  
  Sherry is frustrated because her brother and sister-in-law have become parental figures in her daughter's life. Sherry's daughter shies away from her mother. Although Sherry is deeply flawed, I think most viewers will root for her. Gyllenhaal brings her characteristic charm and humor to the role, even as her character faces dark circumstances.
  
  The movie is nicely paced and never drags, but it doesn't seem rushed either. And Gyllenhaal and her daughter turn in great performances. The little girl seems very natural. I liked how the actors and actresses in the movie looked like real people, and it seemed realistic even if most people haven't experienced that world.
  
  
• Glimpse into a tortured life
  By A1I7QGUDP043DG on 2007-03-07
  Fresh out of prison, Sherry Swanson struggles to put her life back together. She only knows how to survive by using sex to manipulate and has a difficult time gaining any self respect or a sense of self worth. Damaged emotionally from her father's molestation, she doesn't know how to relate to men other than sexually. She wants to re-connect and protect her daughter, but she has no confidence in her mothering skills. Sherry can barely take care of herself and stay off drugs, but she does have friends who help her limp along. The movie can get slow in places, but it's a realistic drama that brings us into the real battles of a former drug addict clawing her way up from the gutter.
  
  Chrissy K. McVay - Author
  
  
• On the ragged edge of disaster . . .
  By AQE41QO3NEUMW on 2007-04-16
  Maggie Gyllenhaal turns in a breath-taking performance as a young mother, just out of prison, with little going for her but a desire to be reunited with her young daughter. A recovering drug user, her life is barely on the upswing after hitting bottom, and it's clear that getting a life on track that maybe never was will be a long uphill battle. A diffident brother, a prickly sister-in-law, and a sleazy father make up the dysfunctional family who half-heartedly support her, and her daughter is confused and fearful. Meanwhile, a humorless parole officer and a male friend from a 12-step group provide the sole sources of stability in her life.
  
  This is a story that has been told before, and like a similar film, "Down to the Bone," it is told without sentimentality or false hope. While each film ends after its heroine has pulled through a personal crisis, one is left with the very real prospect that further trials and ordeals lie ahead. Hardly any scene in this film allows the tension in its dramatic situations to relax. Even moments of release are filmed and cut in an edgy way that portends disaster. The supporting performances, especially Brad William Henke as the long-suffering brother, are strong and compelling. Ebert and Roeper rightly gave this film two thumbs up. It's worth seeing.
  
  
• Looking forward to more from Gyllenhall and Trejo after these performances
  By A2EBLL2OYEQJN9 on 2007-04-29
  Sherrybaby is the story about starting life over when you've hit rock bottom. Maggie Gyllenhaal plays Sherry, a 22 year-old ex-junkie on parole with a sincere desire to turn her life around and regain custody of her 5 year-old daughter. While Sherry was in jail, her daughter lived with Sherry's brother and his wife, and the sister-in-law now has an iron resolve about keeping the child and not returning her to the flaky ex-con mother.
  
  Actor Maggie Gyllenhaal expertly captures the spirit of a woman who desires change, and desperately wants to be a mother, but for whom motherhood and stability do not come naturally. The climax of the move features her attempt on a day on the town with her daughter, a disaster of a day despite all of Sherry's best efforts. Throughout the movie, Sherry battles addiction, past demons, and the hard luck reality that not many employers or professionals want to take a chance on an ex-con. Since she's known nothing else, Sherry often turns to using her body to get what she wants in the "real world."
  
  Gyllenhall's outstanding performance is complimented by that of Danny Trejo as a tough, tattoo-ed recovering addict who provides Sherry with stability and wisdom. Actor Trejo's appearance is that of an ex-con (which he is in real life) tough guy who knows a bit about how the world works, but in this role, he plays a spiritual man with a soft, kind resolve under his tough exterior. His character is a guardian angel in an unlikely disguise.
  
  Sherrybaby proves once again that Maggie Gyllenhaal is one of the most outstanding actors of her generation, and gives Trejo a chance to shine in a leading role. I look forward to following the careers of these terrific actors.
  
  
• Gyllenhaal shines
  By AJMU8VVFKMZI4 on 2007-05-08
  The Gyllenhaal siblings are proving to be strong tour de forces and both are building strong careers by going the indie route first. In Sherrybaby, Maggie proves that she's an actress who's not afraid to take risks and in this case come up a winner. To the point that no one in the supporting cast can touch her. She dominates her scenes with a realistic honesty that you can only admire. My ONLY complaint is the films pacing. When filmmakers opt to tackle dreary subject matters, I think it's important to periodically give your audience some breaks so at the end of the movie your audience isn't jonsesing for Prozac for a pick me up. Overall, it's a good character piece and a great proformance from Maggie Gyllenhaal.
  
  
• Gritty and Dark
  By A1FJOTNMOI9ZP5 on 2007-05-10
  Maggie Gyllenhaal gives a great performance in this movie. It is truly dark and gives you some insight into the rehabilitation of a released inmate. Perhaps it will make you think. It was a side to Maggie Gyllenhaal never before seen. Don't watch it if you're depressed though... it is quite dramatic.
  
  
• Gyllenhaal is astounding
  By A1129LM24YWSZV on 2007-12-29
  Sherrybaby, starring Maggie Gyllenhaal, is a good film, but prepare to be rather depressed for a bit after seeing it. When we first meet Sherry Swanson (Gyllenhaal), she has recently been released from jail, where she served time for a drug-related robbery. Once she's released, she contacts her brother, Bobby, who has been keeping her child (Alexis) for her while she's been in the clink. The movie then follows Sherry as she tries to stay clean and put her life back together post-prison.
  
  Gyllenhaal is AMAZING in this film. Really amazing. (I am a fan since The Secretary, but this cements it.) If anyone has any doubts as to whether she can act, this should answer them. The storyline is a downer, though, as nothing seems to go right for Sherry. The tension between her and her brother over the fate of the child, the vestiges of an abusive relationship with her father, her struggles with addiction, her desperate need to be loved - it all adds up to rather morose entertainment.
  
  But it is charged with meaning and blessed with good performances, making it worth seeing in my book. FYI - there is LOTS of language and nudity.
  
  
  
• "Tell me you love me..."
  By A2PV6GK1HV54Y9 on 2008-02-11
  Sherrybaby starring the extraordinary Maggie Gyllenhaal is difficult to watch but it made a lasting impression on me. Gyllenhaal's fearless and childlike performance is what makes this film worth seeing, she plays Sherry who has been released from prison and is trying to rebuild her relationship with her young daughter. Her daughter is living with her brother Bobby and his wife and Sherry wants to do right for her daughter but obstacles and old habits creep back up again. This film isn't perfect and the ending isn't cut and dry but Sherrybaby doesn't sugarcoat or preach, it's raw and seething.
  
  

• Babel
• Half Nelson
• Hollywoodland (Widescreen Edition)
• The Illusionist (Widescreen Edition)
• The Prestige