Recently released from prison, a woman tries to reclaim her place as a mother while still hankering for the drugs that put her behind bars. Maggie Gyllenhaal is exceptional, breathing humanity into a selfish and oftentimes clueless woman with a strong, subtle performance. Her scenes with her daughter are heart-breaking and charming, and her scenes with the various men in her life allow her to play both the victim and the rebel. She simply makes the film worth watching. However, I thought the plot involving Sherry's relationship with her father came too late in the film and didn't add anything to the audience's struggle to understanding her character. Also, Brad William Henke plays Bobby like a simple schlub, and maybe this is the way the character is written, but it's not a strong choice. Does he judge Sherry? Hate her? Pity her? Who knows? Maybe all of the above. And Giancarlo Esposito's Officer Hernandez is such a prick that we wonder why Sherry would ever trust him. Overall, Maggie Gyllenhaal is remarkable in Sherrybaby, but the film leaves much to be desired.

This is about a woman named Sherry who has just been released from prison. She's a recovering addict, emotionally troubled, and it is hinted at that she's the victim of abuse at the hands of her father. The film follows Sherry as she tries to rebuild her life and start over, specifically in the area of patching up things with her family, most of her her young, estranged daughter. This film feels like it was tailor-made for Gyllenhaal, and that's definitely a good thing. She gives a finely observed and realistic performance that is moving and does a great job of hitting all the right notes without being too vacant or too over the top. She dominates things, but she doesn't carry the whole thing, though. She's got a terrific cast behind her, and they turn in some really good performances as well, especially Danny Trejo. It's nice seeing him play against type, and it adds more authenticity to the proceedings since he's playing a role that mirrors part of his own life and experiences. Another mention I'd like to make is Brad William Henke as Sherry's brother. That guy deserves more work andrecognition. The film is very much an indie, and it shows. It's got a nice sense of grit and realism, but not in a trashy or exploitative way. It's honest, emotional, and sometimes rather painful, but it's well done and pretty real. My only real gripe is that they could have dealt with the father issues a little more, and handled it in a slightly more satisfactory way. Aside from that, this is a really good drama about redemption and hope.