Essay --

The movie Sherrybaby depicts a young woman struggling to pick up her life where it left off after being released from prison. She tries to rebuild her life but encounters many obstacles along the way. She tries to rekindle the relationship with her daughter Alexis, while battling to stay clean from her heroin addiction. She also seems to have a difficult time forming relationships with people in her halfway home and using her sexuality to get her way in the work field. She is in over her head as she tries to jump right into where she left off three years ago. Despite her positive attitude, we witness the challenges she faces with low self-esteem, substance abuse, and the guilt of leaving her daughter Alexis to be raised by her brother and sister in law. In the very beginning of the film when trying establish the fundamental things necessary to get her life back on back, we see how she uses her sexual appeal to get what she wants. When speaking with her parole officer, Sherry tries to use her good looks in persuading him to see her family in New Jersey. After he quickly picks up on this, dissatisfied Sherry sulks using the excuse that she hasn’t seen her daughter in years. â€Å"Indeed family contact was the key motivator stated by participants for maintaining their recovery† (Duffy & Baldwin, 2013). Perhaps her parole having dealt with similar cases to Sherry saw the effects family isolationism had on recovery. It is clear that he is not in on her game but still, he allows her to go see her brother and daughter. Arriving at her new home Sherry is introduced to the director of the halfway home where we find the two of them in the basement sexually involved. Once again, we see Sherry using her good looks when try ing to ge... ...ug use, recovery from use and personal identity† (Brener, Hippel, & Hippel, 2012). Sherry does acknowledge her addiction and does want to get clean. This theory could be useful in predicting future drug use among people who are attempting to quit and who is likely to complete treatment. She soon discovers things are not so easy or as expected. Sherry realizes during her first true parenting experience that she is not quite able to handle life on her own just yet. In order for Sherry to have a chance at rekindling her relationship with daughter Alexis, she must be willing to accept her weaknesses and accept the past. As the film unravels, it is evident she has issues from her past that are kept at bay reflecting on where she is in life. It is Sherry’s desire to change that will ultimately determine whether she gets second chance at life.