Sherrybaby

Maggie Gyllenhaal's bravura performance—possibly her best to date—distinguishes this harrowing tale about a young drug addict who struggles to keep her life from spiraling out of control. The story begins with newly paroled Sherry (Gyllenhaal) leaving prison with plans to clean up the wreckage she caused before going to jail and reconnect with her six-year-old daughter Alexis (Ryan Simpkins), who in her mother's absence has been living with Sherry's brother (Brad Henke) and sister-in-law (Bridget Barkan). Enduring the indignities of daily life in a halfway house, as well as the open hostility of her parole officer (Giancarlo Esposito), Sherry eventually falls off the wagon and begins another descent down the slippery slope of substance abuse. Gyllenhaal ably portrays the dual mindsets of the true addict—euphoria and despair—and writer-director Laurie Collyer also elicits terrific performances from the supporting players, including Danny Trejo as a grizzled druggie driven to survive. Sherrybaby is a rough, uncompromising film, but also one that is exhilarating, thanks largely to Gyllenhaal's charismatic lead turn. Recommended. (E. Hulse)