Sherrybaby
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Movie Reviews of Sherrybaby
Movie Review: Maggie Gyllenhaal will hold your attention for the whole 96 minutes!
Summary: 4 Stars
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
Movie Review: Memorable Portrait of a Woman Struggling with Her Own Faults & Frailty.
Summary: 4 Stars
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).
Movie Review: Excellent and understated movie with a powerful message
Summary: 4 Stars
This was a fascinating movie, with a first-rate performance by actress Maggie Gyllenhaal as an ex-con on parole, a woman trying to pick up the pieces of her life, including a daughter who has been raised in her absence by her brother and sister-in-law.
The beauty of this movie is in the subtle and greatly understated moments. One scene in particular - during the reunion between Sherry and her father, has little dialogue, but watch the way she tries to get his attention; it's sad and disturbing. The viewer sees the entire reason why Sherry turned into an ex-con and a drug addict, in one moment.
The story itself is very emotional and thought-provoking. Sherry rolls into her daughter's life after being in prison. In her absence, her daughter was raised by her brother and his wife, and instead of being grateful, Sherry is angry and belligerent. The stark realism of the movie tells a sad and painful truth - most of the time, in real life, this is exactly the way things happen.
I really enjoyed this movie, even though watching it was a painful and emotionally draining experience. Rarely does a film have the ability to leave you a changed person, even in a small way, or provide some kind of mirror into the demons lurking inside your own soul. Very powerful movie.
Movie Review: On the ragged edge of disaster . . .
Summary: 4 Stars
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.
Movie Review: compassionate performance for an addict
Summary: 4 Stars
This film is a depressing agony to watch. Gyllenhaal is absolutely excellent as an addict who faces the bleak prospect of building a life on the outside, a survival struggle with things that are taken for granted by most of us. Aside from a few strained relationships, she has little structure in her life beyond the starkness and naked reality of the correctional system. Her child is frightened of her with good reason, and she has no idea how to re-build a fundamental relationship that she has ruined by her own failures and compulsions. She is full of rage and has few assets beyond her body. Even her father, in a brief horrific scene, reveals himself as a fundamental betrayer, a participant in her confusion and chaos, an indication of so much that pointed her toward ruin in her life.
I could barely stand to watch this, Gyllenhaal plays it so well that you feel what she is gong through and hope against hope for her. The other actors are equally strong, in particular the young daughter who alternately plays and cries. It is so painful to watch them all together, a downward spiral just waiting to happen.
Recommended, but be prepared. It reminded me of what a thin veil the structure of our lives really is.