SherryBaby

Name: SherryBaby
Genre: Drama
Released: September 8, 2006
Duration: 96 min
Rating: 66
Cast: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ryan Simpkins, Sam Bottoms

2006

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 18 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Ratings

See All

7.8

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7.8	Your Score
7.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Sherrybaby

Now Playing: Sherrybaby

Movie Details & Credits

IFC Films | Release Date: September 8, 2006 | Not Rated

Starring: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ryan Simpkins, Sam Bottoms

Summary: Three years after entering prison for robbery as a 19-year-old heroin addict, Sherry Swanson (Gyllenhaal) begins her first day of freedom, clean and sober. A model prisoner who has undergone personal transformation, she immediately sets out to regain custody of her young daughter Alexis. (IFC Films)

Director: Laurie Collyer

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 96 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Buy on

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Owen Gleiberman

Maggie Gyllenhaal is such a miracle of an actress that she makes you respond to the innocence of Sherry's desperate, selfish destruction. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Ken Fox

Maggie Gyllenhaal cements her reputation as a gifted, if somewhat aloof, actress in Laurie Collyer's sad character piece. Read full review

Dana Stevens

What distinguishes the film from its many peers is the quality of Ms. Collyer’s writing -- which rarely reaches for obvious, melodramatic beats -- and the precision of Ms. Gyllenhaal’s performance. She treats the character neither as a case study nor as an opportunity to show off her range, but rather as a completely ordinary and therefore arrestingly complicated person. Read full review

J.R. Jones

Gyllenhaal turns the young ex-con into an enormously sympathetic figure, but by the end there's no denying that her need for the girl is as selfish as her addiction. Read full review

Dennis Harvey

Gyllenhaal, in her most substantial role since "Secretary," does a fine, unshowy job of limning Sherry's faults without alienating the viewer or pleading for sympathy. Read full review

Ella Taylor

Sherrybaby is by no means a terrible film...But we know exactly where the transparent action is going from word one. Read full review

Kyle Smith

A movie bursting with nothingness. Read full review

SEE ALL 18 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

Mase

Sep 19, 2006

Well Done!!, Very honest real filmaking, for anyone who knows someone like Sherry this should hit close too home.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

LeeA.

Mar 18, 2008

Trejo was pitch perfect. Esposito about as authentic as his turn in, "The Wire." Gyllenhaal...what better to say than her performance was not like watching a consummate actor; it was like observing the real thing. As for Collyer's script: she's either a 12 stepper, or one Trejo was pitch perfect. Esposito about as authentic as his turn in, "The Wire." Gyllenhaal...what better to say than her performance was not like watching a consummate actor; it was like observing the real thing. As for Collyer's script: she's either a 12 stepper, or one terrifically objective and, ( in this sense, could this be an oxymron??, ) "sympathetic" medium.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

delineo

Sep 29, 2017

This movie made my teeth hurt it was so good and so sad. I realized I'd been grinding them halfway through with the inevitability of what was happening. One of the saddest, most realistic movies I've ever seen. A stunning performance from Gyllenhaal.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

James

Sep 11, 2006

Maggie Gyllenhaal is terrific! She just breathes life into this film. No sugar coating, just gutsy, eye-opening acting. WOW.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

DawdlingPoet

Nov 22, 2021

The movie has quite a 'dark' feel to it, obviously due to the nature of it story wise but also the lighting is dim throughout (so its not a great idea to watch it on a particularly sunny afternoon!), this reminded me of the movies of the 1980s that often featured very dark lightingThe movie has quite a 'dark' feel to it, obviously due to the nature of it story wise but also the lighting is dim throughout (so its not a great idea to watch it on a particularly sunny afternoon!), this reminded me of the movies of the 1980s that often featured very dark lighting throughout.

The movie did feel quite gritty and realistic, is isn't overly 'Hollywood' at all, with a fairy tale type ending, I didn't think that it was particularly predictable or formulaic really, although, to be fair, it isn't the sort of movie that I've seen many examples of, I suppose. The scenes between Sherry and her estranged daughter Alexis were well acted and left me unsure how to feel really, you can tell that Sherry clearly wants to regain her relationship with her daughter, understandably enough and as a supposedly reformed character she starts off well, telling others and probably in part to remind herself that she is clean and wanting to turn over a new leaf so to speak but while her daughter Alexis is at first happy to see her again, it doesn't last too long and you can really see her hesitation due to the time spent apart and certain situations that ensure, given all that the viewer knows, I found it hard to know who's side to be on, almost. It is a movie that makes you think and there are some scenes of a graphic nature (sexual scenes and possibly one or two violent scenes), so its not for the overly squeamish I'd say but given the plot, thats to be expected. There aren't really any graphic scenes of drug use in it, which may come as a surprise but I don't really remember any, so thats perhaps a plus, I have to say I hate to see needles so that would have very much put me off! but anyway, I think really the movie is more about the flaws of Sherry and how she reacts to being given this chance to start over again, thinking things may go a particular way but then having to adjust to the circumstances that she finds both herself and Alexis in.

I found her character quite an interesting one and as the movie continues, you see more characters coming forward and trying to help her, with varied responses and leading to us finding out more about her. Obviously she is quite a flawed character and its difficult for her brother who wants to try and help her, while he's been caring for Alexis and isn't sure whats best for both of them, giving their different situations. What Sherry does in order to try and land her dream job and such like again brings home the other side to her as well and it could well leave you trying to decide quite what to make of this character, who it seems is in one hand quite desperate, while also perhaps expecting too much in another sense as well.

Back to the movie itself and I thought that the story did seem quite good and the acting was also good. Maggie plays Sherry well, as I'd expected, she has this quite aggressive and sort of worn out look about herself in this role, if that makes sense(?) which fits the character. She does give quite a decent emotional performance in it and I also particularly thought that the actress who played Alexis, Ryan Simpkins, also gave a particularly good performance, the two of them seemed to connect well on screen and I thought they both did well in portraying their characters.

Yes, I would recommend it. I think that its a pretty realistic (from what I know) and gritty movie that has good character development, it makes you think and it has decent performances throughout, so if this is a movie that appeals to you then I would recommend it. One last comment which is partly related to recommending it would be that I did think that this movie was quite gritty and graphic, there is some pretty heavy (strong) language at one point and nudity shown (Sherry is topless on a couple of occasions) so I was fairly surprised to see it was given a 15 rating, rather than an 18 rating really (perhaps that shows what a sheltered life I live?!) and I would be cautious of recommending this movie to younger teenagers or anyone under about 16 or 17 at least.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

HansB.

Feb 20, 2007

Maggie was fanstastic (10). The story was so so (6) --> 8.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Meghan

Jul 14, 2007

Overrated. Vulgar for the sake of jusy being vulgar because it's an "independent film" and they feel that they can could get away with it. Magge G did nothing but whine her way through it. Questions were left unanswered. Thoroughly disappointing. I wish they had just stayed with the Overrated. Vulgar for the sake of jusy being vulgar because it's an "independent film" and they feel that they can could get away with it. Magge G did nothing but whine her way through it. Questions were left unanswered. Thoroughly disappointing. I wish they had just stayed with the mother daughter aspect of the film instead of constantly going to the sex aspect of the film.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

SEE ALL 15 REVIEWS