Eve's Bayou (1997)
- Starring:
- Jurnee Smollett, Meagan Good, (more)
- Director(s):
- Kasi Lemmons
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R
- Category:
- Drama
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A young girl learns some difficult lessons about truth, love, and fidelity in this critically-acclaimed Southern gothic drama. Eve Batiste (Jurnee Smollett) is a ten-year-old girl whose father Louis (Samuel L. Jackson) is a successful and well-liked doctor in an African-American community in Louisiana. Louis is a good father and an excellent provider, but he also has a way of attracting the ladies, and he's not inclined to turn them away. One night, the Batistes hold a party, and Eve, her older sister Cisely (Meagan Good), and their mother Roz (Lynn Whitfield) all notice that Louis is spending a great deal of time dancing with the same woman. Eve later spies her father and the woman in an embrace in the carriage house, though Louis unconvincingly claims that nothing untoward was happening. The evidence of Louis' infidelity takes a toll on the entire family: Cisely, who at age 14 is walking the middle-ground between being a girl and a woman, becomes sullen and confused about her new emotions, Roz takes out her frustrations on her loved ones, and Eve visits Elzora (Diahann Carroll), a voodoo priestess, looking for advice and possibly revenge. Meanwhile, Eve's Aunt Mozelle (Debbi Morgan), who claims to have psychic powers, arrives to stay with the family after the death of her third husband, though she isn't lonely for long after meeting the eccentric Julien Greyraven (Vondie Curtis-Hall). Eve's Bayou was the first project as writer-director for actress Kasi Lemmons; leading man Samuel L. Jackson also co-produced. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 108 mins
Complete Cast:
- Jurnee Smollett - Eve Batiste
- Samuel L. Jackson - Louis Batiste
- Debbi Morgan - Mozelle Batiste Delacroix
- Ethel Ayler - Gran Mere
- Vondie Curtis-Hall - Julian Grayraven
- Roger Guenveur Smith - Lenny Mereaux
- Meagan Good - Cisely Batiste
- Lynn Whitfield - Roz Batiste
- Jake Smollet - Poe Batiste
- Diahann Carroll - Elzora
- Lisa Nicole Carson - Matty Mereaux
- Director(s):
- Kasi Lemmons
- Writer(s):
- Kasi Lemmons
- Producer(s):
- Samuel L. Jackson, Caldecot "Cotty" Chubb
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R(Questionable for Children, Adult Situations)
- Categories:
- Drama
- Closed Captioning:
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- Subtitles:
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- 1997 - Eve's Bayou - Broadcast Film Critics Association - Best Child Performance
- 1997 - Eve's Bayou - Chicago Film Critics Association - Best Supporting Actress
- 1997 - Eve's Bayou - Independent Spirit Awards - Best First Feature
- 1997 - Eve's Bayou - Independent Spirit Awards - Best Supporting Actress
- 1997 - Eve's Bayou - National Board of Review - Best Debut Director
