DVD Review - Sherrybaby

Sherrybaby is writer/director Laurie Collyer's first feature film. And it is a noble effort but it doesn't always work.

Maggie Gyllenhaal plays Sherry Swanson, a young woman just released from prison. Sherry served time for robbery and was also treated for drug addiction. She desperately wants to get her life back together but that isn't so easy.

Sherry has a daughter Alexis (Ryan Simpkins) who is living with her brother Bobby (Brad William Henke) and his wife Lynette (Bridget Barkan). Bobby and ,especially, Lynette don't think that Sherry is ready to take care of her daughter and this causes a great deal of conflict. Sherry also has issues with her father (Sam Bottoms). Along the way Sherry meets a fellow recovering addict named Dean (Danny Trejo) who wants to help her get her act together.

I think that the plot could have been better developed. Sherry came from a well to do family so how did she wind up becoming an addict? And I certainly would have liked it if the movie went into more depth about her relationship with her father (it is obviously not a healthy one). The whole cast is fine but it is Gyllenhaal who stands out. She is superb as Sherry. Her performance is raw (and brave). She just oozes pain. So despite the fact that this film is far from perfect I am recommending it on DVD because of the amazing Ms. Gyllenhaal.