Sherrybaby
Written and directed by Laurie Collyer
IFC Films
2006
Rating:


The fourth film in a year to deal with a recovering female drug addict attempting to reconnect with loved ones and the world, "Sherrybaby" isn't as grim as "Down to the Bone," as elegant as "Clean" or as hopeful as "Little Fish." By now the plot is familiar: a woman, Sherry (Maggie Gyllenhaal), emerges from prison hoping to regain custody of her young child, Alexis (Ryan Simpkins), only to be thwarted by her own inability to earn redemption.

What distinguishes "Sherrybaby" from its peers is how unlikable writer-director Laurie Collyer and Gyllenhaal boldly make Sherry. "Clean" flirts with a similarly unpleasant protagonist, but even there Maggie Cheung's character becomes sympathetic when she hits rock bottom at the end of the first act. That's not true of Sherry. A narcissist from the moment she enters the screen, Sherry clamors for attention from her dubious family (delivering an impromptu, a cappella version of The Bangles' "Eternal Flame" when interest shifts away from her) and the men meant to be shepherding her toward recovery (delivering sexual favors to the manager of her halfway house and a man who can get her a job).

Gyllenhaal's stunning portrayal never asks for sympathy and therefore earns it honestly. It's her performance that grounds the film in reality, turning the familiar premise into an intense character study of understated emotion.

Posted Saturday, January 20, 2007

Link to this review:
http://filmzeus.pressbin.com/film/sherrybaby