Eve's Bayou
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Metascore
78 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.3 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 9 Ratings

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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    100
    All of these moments unfold in a film of astonishing maturity and confidence; Eve's Bayou, one of the very best films of the year, is the debut of its writer and director, Kasi Lemmons.
  2. L.A. Weekly
    Reviewed by: F. X. Feeney
    80
    Writer-director Kasi Lemmons works fast, and the world she conjures is powerfully realized.
  3. Empire
    Reviewed by: Angie Errigo
    80
    For another, this film is that still shamefully rare pleasure, an absorbing ensemble piece in which a fine group of actors get to show their class and range, playing a black American family who are prosperous, cultured and complex.
  4. Christian Science Monitor
    Reviewed by: David Sterritt
    50
    In the end, however, the story is too contrived and melodramatic to reach its full potential.

See all 21 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. KennedyB.
    10
    Eve's Bayou received no Oscar nominations, yet it is one of the finest motion pictures of 1997 -- a fully realized production from the screenplay and direction to the acting and cinematography.
    [***SPOILERS***] It depicts a prosperous black family in early '60s Louisiana. The father and husband (Samuel L. Jackson) is a physician who philanders yet dearly loves his children. When a wedge of suspicion comes between them, events proceed toward a tragedy that may even have supernatural implications. This is one of the few black films in recent memory without a whiff of racism in the air. In part, that's because the world it depicts is wholly black, while the situations are timeless and universal. The cast is superb, from Jackson as the life-loving and sometimes misunderstood patriarch to Lynn Whitfield as his fearful wife and Meagan Good as his willful eldest daughter. The point-of-view character is Eve, the youngest daughter, played with heartbreaking fervor by Jurnee Smollett. Also strong in support is Debbi Morgan, as Jackson's sister. But the most credit should go to Kasi Lemmons, a relatively unknown actress who shows a rare artistry in her writing and directing debut. Trust us: She makes Good Will Hunting's Ben Affleck and Matt Damon look like amateurs -- and they were Oscar-nominated.    … Collapse
  2. Lakendrea
    10
    The best black family representation!!
  3. LanaS.
    10
    Well crafted, yet overlooked, film with an amazing ensemble cast.
  4. BrianI.
    10
    Kudos to Kasi Lemmons, as she has created one of the finest African-American films of all time. Although this film features an all black cast, this is a universal story. The screenplay and direction were spectacular, and the acting was first-rate. We NEED more African-American films as complex and well-made as this feature.… Expand

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