Sherrybaby is a movie by first-time director Laurie Collyer that is trying to find its direction. The premise, while seemingly unique, has a hackneyed feel to it. Sherry Swanson (Maggie Gyllenhaal) gets out of prison where she kicked heroin and found religion. She returns to her New Jersey home to reconnect with her daughter. But life is difficult for an ex-con and she struggles with the challenges of staying clean, finding a job, etc. I feel like I've seen this movie before, or at least something like it.
Maggie Gyllenhaal turns in another outstanding performance, but it's not enough to save this movie, which drags in parts and has a generally depressing tone throughout. There are other parts and characters, but they are poorly written, shallow and underdeveloped.
Maybe it's me, but I've never liked addiction movies. I know it's hard to kick anythingdrugs, alcohol, gamblingand I'm very sympathetic to the tragedies that come from addictions. I just don't find reliving them very entertaining.
Maggie Gyllenhaal turns in another outstanding performance, but it's not enough to save this movie, which drags in parts and has a generally depressing tone throughout. There are other parts and characters, but they are poorly written, shallow and underdeveloped.
Maybe it's me, but I've never liked addiction movies. I know it's hard to kick anythingdrugs, alcohol, gamblingand I'm very sympathetic to the tragedies that come from addictions. I just don't find reliving them very entertaining.