Roll-M: Eve's Bayou

Eve’s Bayou (Trimark; Rated R; violence, sex, profanity)

Many will perceive Eve’s Bayou as an "African-American film," which is sad, because relegating this rare gem to undeserved obscurity would be a mistake. Set it the Louisiana bayou country of the late 1950s, this is a well-crafted, superbly acted film about an affluent Southern black family whose troubled relationships eventually tear their once-peaceful lives apart.

Told through the eyes of 10-year-old Eve Batiste (brilliantly played by Jurnee Smollett), the story hinges on her father’s (Samuel L. Jackson) philandering, which precipitates the disintegration of his family. The characters and their individual stories are neatly tied together through elements of trust, betrayal, maturation and even mystical powers.

This marks the film debut of writer/director Kasi Lemmons, who, it would seem, has a most promising future based on this delicious movie. Best of all, however, is young Smollett, who is not only visually riveting, but the most promising child actress of the decade. If another 10-year-old, Anna Paquin, could receive the 1993 Best Actress Academy Award for The Piano, Smollett deserves a shelf-full of statuettes. She is a talent to be reckoned with. Let’s hope the Academy is color-blind at Oscar time.

Not only is Smollett’s performance Oscar-worthy; the entire film -- from cinematography (Amy Vincent), to production design (Jeff Howard) to music scoring (Terence Blanchard, composer for most of Spike Lee’s productions) -- deserves award recognition in this high-class effort.

FIVE OUT OF FIVE OWLS – A "Must-See" Recommendation