For all the obvious talent and technique that went into "Eve's Bayou," I'm sorry to say the total experience left me cold and unmoved. From the start there seemed to be a lack of focus. Just what was being said and why? The film seemed to move from one crises or unpleasant situation to another, without a central theme or motivating factor. All the characters seemed to be in need of therapy, and a reason for giving them attention was unclear. A major problem was in the scripting, which for me lacked cohesiveness. The actors were uniformly strong, as were the production values, including Kasi Lemmons' direction; what was lacking was Lemmons' central theme. It was a long journey down these sad and dismal swamplands, and without a hint of a plot, one seemed to drift from episode to episode aimlessly. It's really a shame so much genuine talent was to a degree wasted on such an uncohesive tale. There have been many casualties resulting from the death of the plot device in contemporary drama. "Eve's Bayou" is a prime example.
Review of Eve's Bayou
