Sherrybaby
2006 – Laurie Collyer
Rated R: 96 minutes
Vault Rating: 7
Today in the Video Vault we’re considering “Sherrybaby,” a deeply bruised relationship movie, not between a man and a woman, but between a woman, her child and her child’s foster parents.
Maggie Gyllenhaal, who we just loved in the recent “Stranger Than Fiction,” portrays Sherry Swanson, a heroin addict paroled after three years from a New Jersey prison who tries desperately to re-establish ties with her kindergarten-aged daughter.
Complications include her half-way-house life, run-ins with per parole officer, drugs and her struggle to find a decent job. But the real emotional wallop in this economical drama is between Sherry and her sister-in-law, Marcia, portrayed by Kate Burton in a nice turn.
The relationship between Sherry and Marcia is written and acted with the knowing nuance of someone who has actually witnessed divorcing parents as they wrangle over their children. The parents’ emotional needs often cause emotional strife for the child and, in this story, young Alexis, portrayed by Ryan Simpkins, is torn between either referring to her mother coldly by her first name or with the simple warmth of a heartfelt “Mommy.”
It is a nice, potent, first dramatic feature by writer/director Laurie Collyer. Vault has always felt you can best see a young filmmaker’s chops in their early work and this is a promising start for N.Y.U. product, Collyer. “Sherrybaby” was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance and Gyllenhaal was nominated at the Golden Globes for best actress.
The film includes strong sexual content that borders on too strong even while it adds to the film’s assurance and emotional weight.
Video Vault recommends “Sherrybaby” with a Vault Rating of 7. That’s two notches above average and three notches below perfect and a good bet for those who like a serious drama.
“Sharing life lessons at rehab – Sherry (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and Dean (Danny Trejo) buddy up as recovering addicts in today’s Video Vault feature, “Sherrybaby.”