EVE'S BAYOU |
| CREDITS: Director: Kasi Lemmons. Cast: Jurnee Smollett, Lynn Whitfield, Debbi Morgan,
Megan Good, Ethel Ayler, Diahann Caroll & Samuel L. Jackson. USA 1998 (15). INTRODUCTION: Another day, another deep south character study and another performer turned writer/director. SYNOPSIS: 10 year old Eve Batiste (Smollett) lives in the titular Eve's Bayou with her mother Roz (Whitfield), her aunt Mozelle (Morgan), her grand mother (Ayler) her elder sister Cisely (Good), her young brother Poe (Jake Smollett) and her father Louis (Jackson), and this is, we are informed by a narration from and older Eve (Tamara Tunie), is the summer that she killed her father, of course like everything else in this film her recollections aren't entirely accurate. REVIEW: This fallibility is the theme of the movie "memory is a selection of images" Tunie again informs us and to get this across we are treated to alternate perspective flashbacks, including one very stagy one involving a full length mirror, and even premonitions, in the form of black and white montage sequences, courtesy of Mozelle's second sight. Smollett is excellent in her debut film and although told predominantly from Eve's point-of-view, a marvellous ensemble cast help to get across the films message that a single perspective can't tell the whole story and it is good to see SLJ escape his recent type cheap gangsta casting, even if he had to produce the film himself to do it. Although reminiscent of messers Thornton and Duvall's recent opuses and indeed the plays of Tennessee Williams the films routes lie very much with the woman's film, indeed the beginning and end sequences are very derivative of the sort of tedious poetic shorts, you encounter on the festival circuit. Although any misgivings are quickly forgotten as Lemmons, previously best known for supporting roles in "Candyman" and "The Silence Of The Lambs", quickly demonstrates a level maturity that is rare in first time directors. Coupled with her wise decision not to cast herself and a reasonable running time Lemmons quickly outstrips Thornton and Duvall's recent efforts. If you only see one deep south character study by a performer turned writer/director make it this one. Mutt's Rating: **** |