If you've entertained the idea of seeing a movie this weekend, chances are you've considered one of two releases with big-name stars hitting theaters today: Trainwreck and Antman. There's actually a third film arriving on screens both large and small this weekend, though, and it's packing some MAJOR star power. Lila & Eve stars Viola Davis and Jennifer Lopez, respectively, as the two titular characters. You can see it in theaters and on demand today, but you probably haven't heard anything about it at all. What gives?
Lila & Eve is a revenge thriller. Davis and Lopez's characters meet at a grief support group for mothers who have lost their children. Lila's (Davis) son Stephon (Aml Ameen) was murdered in a drive-by shooting, and in talking to Eve (Lopez), who lost her daughter that same night, Lila begins to emerge from the deep depression in which she fell following her son's death.
Lila has been asking the police for help tracking down her son's killer, but (in a reference to #BlackLivesMatter and many real-life instances of police brutality and inaction that have made headlines recently) the case isn't a priority for the cops. So, the two women decide to take matters into their own hands and seek justice for Stephon, even if it escalates to violence.
The trailer shows a raw, distraught Davis in a role that could easily be an awards contender. Yesterday, she was nominated for an Emmy for her work on How to Get Away With Murder, where she also lays herself bare in the pursuit of truth and the authentic portrayal of a tormented, conflicted character. In Lila & Eve's few reviews, it's Davis' performance that's praised.
Where Lila & Eve ultimately fails, per many critics — and perhaps the reason Davis and Lopez have done minimal press to promote the film — is in its inability to decide whether it wants to verge into full-on, gun-toting vigilantism that borders on Kill Bill-esque camp. The movie's Facebook page describes Lila and Eve as "empowered mothers who are fighting back," but their version of fighting back has a surprisingly high body count for a film that starts by grounding the audience in a support group for grieving mothers. There's also a third-act twist you can apparently see coming from a mile away.
So yeah, in addition to Antman and Trainwreck, there's a Viola Davis and Jennifer Lopez movie coming out today. Who knew? If you don't feel like going to the multiplex, you can easily order it on demand. Lila & Eve has all the makings of a cult hit.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT