The film itself is a collection of emotional highs and mostly lows for Gyllenhaal, who elevates it all far above the slim story.
Comment
01/26/07
Sherrybaby (2006)
75
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:64
Fresh:48
Rotten:16
Average Rating:6.7/10
Consensus: Maggie Gyllenhaal delivers riveting performance as a recovering drug addict in a depressing and not entirely believable movie.
Synopsis: Maggie Gyllenhaal is mesmerizing as a recovering addict in writer-director Laurie Collyer's feature-length fiction-film debut, SHERRYBABY. Gyllenhaal stars as Sherry Swanson, a troubled woman who... [More]
Starring: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Brad Henke, Giancarlo Esposito, Sam Bottoms
Director: Laurie Collyer
Reviews for Sherrybaby
Top CriticClick to read the article
07/27/07
Top CriticWhat distinguishes the film from its many peers is the quality of Ms. Collyer's writing -- which rarely reaches for obvious, melodramatic beats -- and the precision of Ms. Gyllenhaal's performance.
09/07/06
Top CriticThe wonder of Sherrybaby is that we can admire Sherry's exuberance and evident love of life -- and the extraordinary actress who portrays her -- without really being sure where she's going.
09/20/06
As an actress, Ms. Gyllenhaal seems to steer clear of any parts that seek to exploit an audience’s weakness for conventionally happy endings. Her films are therefore always worth seeing.
10/04/06
Gyllenhaal presents us with an indelible character study that will be seared into our minds for a long time to come.
09/15/06
Top CriticSherrybaby is Gyllenhaal's show ... and the gifted actress puts everything she's got into it.
09/08/06
Maggie Gyllenhaal is an actress you simply cannot take your eyes off of.
02/28/08
Just as she did in the dark, sadomasochistic comedy "Secretary," Gyllenhaal raises her share of eyebrows here, though for a whole host of different reasons.
05/01/07
... has nuance and complexity even in its seemingly throwaway title.
09/08/06
Top Critic"Sherrybaby" is an insightful and penetrating drama that never condescends or sentimentalizes its subject. Maggie Gyllenhaal gives a tour de force performance that is not to be missed.
04/19/09
The entire film is a sobering, sorrowful, but ultimately uplifting snapshot of an addict looking for salvation.
09/23/06
... Sherrybaby is not so much a film as a performance, and it's a great one from Gyllenhaal.
09/08/06
Maggie Gyllenhaal turns in the best female performance of the year so far, in a film that is striking in its authenticity.
09/15/06
...generally manages to overcome its almost egregiously familiar sensibilities to become an entertaining (yet hopelessly uneven) piece of work.
03/06/09
Gyllenhaal, in her most substantial role since Secretary, does a fine, unshowy job of limning Sherry's faults without alienating the viewer or pleading for sympathy.
01/23/06
Top CriticA moving drama of one young mother's drug addiction.
01/24/06
Mostly noteworthy for Maggie Gyllenhaal's realistic portrayal of a troubled woman trying to get back her daughter.
09/08/06
The subject, a woman's rehab problems after prison, has been done before, but writer-director Collyer (in her feature debut), gets a fully realized, emotionally gripping performance from Maggie Gyllenhaal that rises above the familiar yarn.
06/12/06
Maggie Gyllenhaal plays the part with raw conviction and she is ably supported by a well-chosen cast.
03/01/07
Latest News for Sherrybaby
July 17, 2008:
Maggie Gyllenhaal Talks The Dark Knight 
It's a far cry from indie fare like Secretary or Sherrybaby, but for Maggie Gyllenhaal, taking on the role of Rachel Dawes in The Dark Knight was just the logical next step in... More...
December 14, 2007:
Atonement, Control Lead London Film Critics Noms
The London Critics Circle has announced the nominees for its year-end awards, with Anton Corbijn's Control and Joe Wright's Atonement leading the pack at eight nominations apiece. More...
December 14, 2006:
"Babel," "Departed," And A Few Surprises Lead Golden Globes Nominations
"Babel"'s back in the game as this year's Golden Globes nominations were announced, including many expected Oscar pics -- and a few smaller surprises. More...
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