Sherrybaby
| Sherrybaby | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Laurie Collyer |
| Produced by | Marc Turtletaub Lemore Syvan |
| Written by | Laurie Collyer |
| Starring |
Maggie Gyllenhaal Brad William Henke Sam Bottoms Kate Burton Giancarlo Esposito Danny Trejo |
| Music by | Jack Livesey |
| Cinematography | Russell Lee Fine |
| Edited by | Curtiss Clayton Joe Landauer |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | IFC Films |
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Release date
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Running time
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96 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2 million |
| Box office | $622,806 |
Sherrybaby is a 2006 American drama film written and directed by Laurie Collyer. Screened at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2006, the film received a limited release in the United States on September 8, 2006.
Sherry Swanson, a young woman who has recently been released from prison and is recovering from a heroin addiction, is trying to rebuild her life on the outside. Above all, she wants to repair her relationship with her young daughter, Alexis. She returns home to Jersey and goes to the halfway house where she will be staying. Before she can reunite with Alexis, she meets with her Parole officer who is very strict and direct with his expectations of her. He tells her that she needs to stay clean and get a job. While doing some chores around the house, Sherry meets the director of the recovery program and Sherry, knowing that he is attracted to her, sleeps with him in the basement. Afterwards, her brother Bobby picks her up to go see Alexis.
Alexis lives with Sherry's brother Bobby and his wife, Lynn. Her daughter immediately recognizes her and calls her "mommy," which warms Sherry's heart. She gives Alexis a few presents and talks to her about why she was away, saying that she stole from people for drugs. The halfway house where she lives proves to be more daunting as Sherry has tension with a fellow housemate, but finds solace in hanging her daughter's artwork she sent to Sherry in prison. She goes to a job interview and says that she wants to work with children as she took classes in prison, and also wants to be a better parent for her daughter. He rebuffs her telling her that a pretty girl like her should be a waitress, but can't since she has a history with alcohol and drugs. Obviously attracted to Sherry, she shows the director of the employment program her breasts and says that she will 'suck his dick' in order to get the job she wants. She does so. After her interview, she goes to an AA meeting and talks about the stress of life outside prison is making her want to use. She also meets Dean, a former alcoholic. He gives her a ride home and he tells her that he recognizes her from when she was a teenager waitressing at one of the local spots.
After calling her brother and faced with more excuses as to why she can't talk to Alexis, she gets into an altercation with another housemate. Upset, she leaves the house and catches a ride to her brother's place. She sleeps on their steps and Lynn finds her in the morning. There she sees Alexis getting ready for summer camp. While Lynn finishes getting Alexis ready for camp, Sherry talks to her brother Bobby about moving in because she feels the halfway house is like prison. He tells her that she can stay, but there can't be any drugs in the house. Alexis runs in to say goodbye as she is about to leave and calls Sherry by her name and not mommy, which she had done so earlier. Angered by Lynn's interference with her daughter, she punches the kitchen cabinet. Later that day, Sherry's father, Bob and his wife come over. Sherry is overwhelmingly glad to see her father and acts like a child trying to get his attention from Alexis to her. They share a kiss and an inappropriate embrace which makes the family uncomfortable. They all have burgers around the table together and Bob hands Sherry a beer. She drinks it even though she is on parole. She decides to sing for everyone, obviously for her father's attention. Later while playing with Alexis, Lynn and Sherry have a confrontation. Sherry yells at her and tells her that she is confusing her with the name switches and accuses her of being jealous. Bobby gives Sherry some cash and drives her to a hotel saying that there are too many people in the house. Sherry berates him and reminds him that she is his sister, not a charity case.
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