This movie is incredibly realistic & moving. A look into the life of someone who made all the wrong choices & has to remake her life from scratch with unbelievable struggle & pain. Sherrybaby is a remarkable portrayle of real life. Worth a watch most definately.

Worth a look, purely for Maggie Gyllenhaal proving exactly how good an actress she is, but you've likely seen this 'bad-girl-tries-to-be-good' story a hundred times before. It needed a bit more meat on the bones if it wanted to be a great film.

Maggie Gyllenhaal delivers what can only be described as a riveting, stunning and powerful performance of a woman who's struggling to overcome her drug and alcohol addiction.

Sherry (Gyllenhaal), has just been released from jail after two years incarceration, after settling in to a halfway house arranged for her by her parole officer she sets about to reconcile with her family and in particular her young daughter whom she hasn't seen since going to jail. Gyllenhaal portrays Sherry with complete emotional detachment, letting nobody get in her way, using sex to get what she wants; she is totally unapologetic and never asks anyone to feel sorry for her, indeed, you never do.

This is the way the character was written and is portrayed, and it is so much the better for it.
Laurie Collyer, in her directorial debut, always projects a sense of uneasiness throughout, even Sherry's seemingly idyllic suburban family home never feels comfortable and, as the viewer, you are very much aware that something is not quite right.

Where most films like this fall down is the inspirational, melodramatic, redemptive ending that always manages to creep in. Not Here. Not once are we given any sort of 'rose tinted' views of Sherry. While the film ends on a note of hope you know that her path will be one of difficulty and hardship and injecting herself or diving to the end of a bottle is only a step away.

It is an unflinching and brave film, one that deserves to be seen, not only for Maggie Gyllenhaal's performance but because of it's feeling of humanity and ultimately its message of no matter how many times life knocks you down, you have to get back up and try again.

Just watched R1 dvd of this.Although this is well acted and has a great cast I could not get over the fact I have seen this type of story before and this had nothing new to offer.Single mother just comes out jail - brother and wife has been looking after her daughter while in prison, kid calls mum by her first name, at mum's protest, mum fighting urge to take drugs - mum takes drugs - blah blah blah. Maggie Gyllenhaal in various stages of undress throughout to either satisfy her lustful needs or to further her career prospects.Would wait for this to be on the telly,probably won't have to wait too long.At the end of all this the story ends nowhere and you are again left with the feeling what was the point.Can't believe this is getting a cinema release.Would give this 5 out of 10 (very average).