Eye's bayou review

 Eye’s bayou is a gothic drama film that involves a prosperous Creole-American community in the state of Louisiana in the 1960’s. Eye being the youngest girl, her brother Poe and sister Celeste. The mother, Roz Batiste, a wealthy woman and Louis Batiste being the well-known Doctor within the town. The Batiste family hosted a party at their home one night. Later on, after the party is over Eve falls asleep and upon waking up from her sleep catches her dad having sex with a woman from the party.  This woman is also known as Matty Mereaux, who is a married woman herself. Eve does not confront her father about what she saw and instead tries to confront Cisely about it. Cisely does not believe Eve and instead tries to convince her that she didn't see what she thought she saw. Eve and her father’s relationship becomes very damaged due to her seeing her father being involved with multiple women throughout the film. Also, Cisely starts experiencing her period for the first time and puberty causes her to change in her attitude towards her family. Eve tries to talk with her aunt who is a fortune teller and has a special gift. Aunt Mozelle goes to another fortune teller, Elzora, to talk about her current problems of her husband's dying and finds out that she is indeed cursed. As the film keeps progressing Eve continues to act out while Cisely becomes very distant and quiet. Eve notices the difference in her and asks her why is acting the way she is. Cisely tells Eve about her incident of when her father came home drunk and kissed her on the lips one night. Eve was very upset hearing about this and tries to find a way to kill her father with voodoo. Eve goes to Elzora, and she places a curse on the father as Eve asked. Eve then regrets this and tries to save her father. She goes to a bar where her father is spotted talking to his mistress, Matty. Matty’s husband, Lenny, arrives to take Matty home and she and Louis get into a confrontation. Lenny tells Louis not to speak to her wife anymore. Louis says goodbye to Matty and Louis is shot dead. 

This film had many different aspects that were displayed that I would like to discuss. The first being the overall family dynamic and how disconnected it was. Eve being a young curious girl who is exposed at a young age to her father being a bad husband by sleeping around with these other women. Then also having to deal with a strained relationship with her mother and learning about her father sexually abusing her sister. Her closest and best relationship, in my opinion, is with her Aunt who is also listening to her, but at the same time not acknowledging nor really doing anything with the news she hears. I believe the aunt represents family members even in the present day who try to keep things a secret in the family and not acknowledge how messed up things actually are in a way to keep the family image good. Also, I feel that the mother started to do the same thing as it seemed through her body language that she was aware that something was going on as it pertains to her husband cheating on her and with her daughter’s unusual relationship with her father. The mother is constantly seen cutting herself and still defending her husband when Eve brings it up that her dad isn’t working every night as he says he is. 

Then with the relationship between Cecily and her father Louis. This was a case of sexual abuse and a relationship that went too far. It almost seemed like he was grooming her in a weird way rather than being a good father. Throughout the movie when we first see Cecily, she is happy, dancing with her father, she waits up for him at night, knows his favorite drink, and even defends him after Eve tries to tell her about the cheating. Louis' character was a man that constantly needed affection and was very arrogant. He never showed real remorse for his actions. His wife wasn’t really giving him that type of praise and in my opinion, that's why he started grooming his daughter to be what he wanted in a woman essentially. I believe that’s why their bond was very tight. Moreover, we see a change in Cesiley after the altercation where her father hit her in his drunken state. She became very distant and quiet. This incident broke her, and her joyful spirit left. I believe the director did a good job of just showing how this type of traumatic experience can take a toll on someone, especially being so young. Also, the aspect of Voodoo was very interesting as well. Given that the mom, Aunt, and Eve all went to the fortune teller. This makes us wonder about whether religion was placed at a higher level of respect or voodoo was instead? Other films I know that we have seen had African Americans leaning on their gospel faith usually instead of other powers like we see with this particular black family.