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Sherrybaby

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 16; suggested age 15.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Gyllenhaal shines in gritty, haunting drug drama.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–16

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Sherry uses her sexuality to get what she needs. She also struggles to stay clean and sober.

  • Violence:

    It's implied that her father sexually molested her. Sherry and another girl at Genesis House scream at each other and fight. As Sherry's walking across the street, you can hear a gunshot.

  • Sex:

    Sherry has sex with two different guys and is often partially naked. Her bare breasts are often visible. She talks about having a shaved pubic region and encourages one of the men to perform oral sex on her. She performs oral sex to get the job she wants. Her father gropes her breasts. She talks about having been a stripper when she was 16.

  • Language:

    Considerable cursing, including "motherf---er," "f--k," "bitch," "s--t," "damn," "bulls--t," "c--t," and "badass."

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Sherry chain smokes. Sherry and her sister-in-law smoke together. Sherry drinks beer and liquor and uses heroin. Sherry and her brother talk about a friend who died of a drug overdose.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Sherrybaby

Parents need to know that this film depicts drug addiction and one woman's struggle to stay clean. Sherry drinks beer and liquor and uses heroin after having been clean for years. The drug use is not shown as glamorous. Sherry, a former stripper, is also half-naked much of the time and is shown having sex with two different men. She's also the victim of childhood sexual abuse, which may be especially upsetting for people who've experienced the same thing. Sherry attempts to kidnap her daughter.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how drug and alcohol addiction have affected Sherry's life. Do drugs and alcohol seem appealing in this film? What about casual sex? Is Maggie Gyllenhaal sexy as Sherry? Why or why not?
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