Eve's Bayou (1997)
80 %
Reviews Counted: 49 Fresh: 39 Rotten:10 Average Rating: 7.4/10
Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins
Synopsis: A father's philandering nature is only one of several problems for a black southern family, but, to 9 year-old Eve, it is the most immediate. As her suspicions deepen, so does her desire to bring the infidelity to an end, even if it means calling down justice on its perpetrator. A stylish,... [More]
Genre: Dramas
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Lynn Whitfield, Debbi Morgan, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Diahann Carroll
Director: Kasi Lemmons
Screenwriter: Kasi Lemmons
Composer: Terence Blanchard
Producer: Caldecot Chubb, Samuel L. Jackson
Screenwriter: Kasi Lemmons
Composer: Terence Blanchard
Producer: Caldecot Chubb, Samuel L. Jackson
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Reviews
The film is given an almost dream-like quality by Vincent who washes everything in a sepia-type tone that adds to the effect of seeing an adult world of deceit and hurt through the eyes of a child.
Comment
03/19/08
Lemmons' focus on strong female characters, and her willingness to ignore accepted notions of "black filmmaking" are powerful assets, but one can't help wishing the film as a whole lived up to its initial promise.
03/19/08
Subplots are woven stealthily into the story, taking the pressure off the central drama, allowing it to be affecting rather than melodramatic, and heightening the atmosphere of the lush Louisiana setting.
03/19/08
Top Critic
Top Critic
An intensely emotional drama that mixes elements of Southern Gothic with the kinds of characters and tensions that prevail in the plays of Southern writers like Tennessee Williams.
06/24/06
Writer/director Kasi Lemmons shows sweet judgment here, doesn't caricature or demonise the errant father, and elicits a host of nuanced performances from women of all ages.
06/24/06
It feels like I've seen dozens of films this year by first time writers and directors, and not one has stuck to me until now.
05/26/06
A solid, if somewhat heavy-handed, Southern Gothic tale, steeped in mysticism.
04/09/05
Easily one of the best films of the year, and ironically, it was better than all of the Best Picture nominees.
05/22/03
The melodramatic mysticism is as thick as the bayou moss, but Eve's Bayou manages to maintain a magical narrative about Louisiana southern backwater living that is intoxicating and engaging.
05/14/03
The dark complexities of this family's story are intriguing, although the plot seems to meander a bit at times; it seems a long time before the film gets to the point. But all the characters are very real and well-defined, especially Eve's.
02/08/03
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• Eve's Bayou at Rotten Tomatoes
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