Lila & Eve

Plot synopsis:
Lila, a single mother living in Atlanta, struggles after the murder of her son Stephon in a drive-by shooting. Faced with indifference from the police force and barely able to take care of herself and her younger son Justin, Lila joins a support group for mothers of murdered children. There, she meets Eve, whose daughter died. Eve sits off to the side without participating. Eve seems less interested in moving on with her life than in seeking revenge.
Lila chooses Eve to be her sponsor, and one night, while engaging in therapeutic home redecorating, they find a gun in Justin's book bag. This discovery horrifies Lila but inspires Eve to suggest they investigate Stephon's murder themselves. The two women find someone with the information they seek. When he pulls a gun on them, Eve shoots him dead, and they flee.
When it seems as if they have gotten away with the shooting, the two women move up the underworld chain of command to discover who ordered the drive-by. With the death of the drug dealer, Alonzo Troys, who actually pulled the trigger, they come to the attention of Ojeda, the hired gun of the kingpin of the criminal organization. As the bodies begin piling up, Lila becomes increasingly unsure of the morality of their actions, while Eve becomes bolder and more daring. Finally, a rift develops between the two women and Eve suddenly disappears.
Around this time, their actions pique the interest of Detective Holliston, the cop assigned to Lila's case. It appears to be only a matter of time before he puts two and two together and figures out who is behind the killings. Lila and Justin are on the way to school one morning when, while sitting at a stop sign, a van containing armed men drives up beside them. Before the men can shoot, Lila pulls out into traffic and is involved in a car accident. This saves their lives when witnesses aid, stopping the gunmen from finishing them off.
After Lila gets out of the hospital, she and Eve make up. They rig Lila's house with explosives and set up a trap to lure local criminal kingpin, Miguel Alejandro, and his henchmen to come after her by shooting at his home. After he threatens to kill her, and she drops off Eve, Lila visits Ben, her neighbour. When he questions her about Eve, she shows him pictures from her phone, only to be confused when Eve appears in none of them. During the course of the night, Lila realizes that Eve is a figment of her imagination. Lila has done everything herself and is responsible for all the drug dealers' murders. In a late night conversation in the street, "Eve" talks her into finishing the job so she can move on and keep Justin safe.
Ojeda poses as a cable installer and breaks into Lila's house. Finding it empty, he invites Alejandro to wait for her arrival at the house. Lila watches them via a laptop's webcam at Ben's house. When Alejandro and another henchman arrive, Lila asks Ben to take care of Justin while she takes care of things at home. Lila walks across the street with Eve and lights a fuse at Eve's urging. When Eve tells her that she cannot stop it, Lila throws herself into the blast. Lila is blown onto the front yard, and the house burns as Ben arrives to take care of her.
Detective Holliston fails to convince his partner, Detective Skaketti, that Lila is responsible. Undeterred, Holliston approaches Lila at a support meeting once she is released from the hospital. When Holliston threatens to take in Ben and Justin if she does not cooperate, the other mothers, who have collected donations to assist Lila, stop her from confessing and volunteer alibis. Holliston recognizes that grieving mothers are a strong alibi and leaves.
Ben says goodbye to Justin and Lila as they leave Atlanta for a new life elsewhere. As she is driving down the road, Justin asks his mother if she is okay, and she replies that she will be.

Tags: revenge, murder, violence

Review:
And Lopez, considering the substance of her character that you come to realize later during the film, I think plays adequately, though people don't find her convincing.
Viola Davis, as usual, gives a wonderful performance in this film along side Jennifer Lopez.
Although Jennifer Lopez's performance isn't as high caliber as Viola Davis' they both made a great pair in this film.
Not anything different or original, this film is about two women who seek out and take revenge on the men who murdered their sons, it's that simple, or is it.
Funny how these grieving mothers believe taking somebody else's life is going to take away the pain they feel for their own children.
It will probably receive many awful reviews, since many seem to believe Ms Lopez does some terrible acting and that Viola Davis is far too superior than her.
Viola Davis delivers a strong performance in this roller coaster story of a single parent raising two sons, when one is inexplicably shot dead.
Viola shows remarkable range in this convincing portrait of a woman scorned and a mother who lost a good son to random violence.
This movie makes you feel alive even tho a lot bad things happen.
Lila and Eve is about the story of two grieving mothers who want more than just comfort over the death of their children, but revenge.
Viola Davis also gives an incredible and accurate portrayal of a grieving mother conflicted over the sudden murder of her son.
"Maybe we could help each other." Lila (Davis) is a loving mother who has just lost her son in a drive by shooting.
She joins a grieving mothers support group and meets Eve (Lopez) who has also lost a child.
Solid Revenge Chick-Flick Starring the ever Intense Viola Davis and Jennifer Lopez giving another Workmanlike Performance, an Underrated Actress Lopez usually brings Spunk and believability for aggressive Females Everywhere.The Movie is a bit Different, in the Thelma and Louise (1991) tradition of Two Women Driven beyond sanity and into a World that is distinctively Not Their Own. After Her Son is Innocently Gun Downed in a Drive-By, Viola Davis' Grief Cannot Comfort Her loss and She Snaps into Action with the Help of Her "Sponsor" Lopez.What happens is Cathartic and Violent and ends With a Twist or Two. Engaging, Entertaining, and Well Done.
This is an Unknown, Little-Seen Indie that is Worth a Watch for the Topical Story and better than Average presentation of a Mother's Pain and Revenge..
I thought that Viola and Jennifer did a good job.One thing that the movie didn't do so well is the relationship between characters.
This Lifetime movie is watchable if imperfect.There are some things going for this mother's revenge thriller.
If you remember the Charles Bronson movies they all had this amusing ludicrous moments.Viola Davis is a most effective actress and you feel her emotions of grief and depression.
It is not exactly the quality I'd expect from a Hollywood thriller; it has the feel of a made-for-TV flick.The twist was the highlight of the movie.
Make no mistake the film belongs to Viola Davis and Lopez is simply there to give a film a bit of a kick, which you will understand once you've seen the film.
She comes across as a soap opera star and completely takes the audience away from the seriousness of any scene she's in.Lopez aside however, it's not a bad film.
It's the era of angry cinematic women, and this time we get Viola Davis and Jennifer Lopez as mothers who go on a rampage of violence to gain vengeance for the murders of their sons.
In 1991 Thelma & Louise tried to teach abusive and pig-headed men a lesson, and now Lila & Eve face off against neighborhood gangbangers.Director Charles Stone III is best known for Drumline (2002) and Mr 3000 (2004) and this high-stress thriller seems a departure for him, though he compensates with a talented cast.
In addition to Ms. Davis and Ms. Lopez, we get detectives played by Shea Whigham and Andre Royo, and Michole Briana White as the leader of the support group.Stories of vigilantism always skirt the line between gritty and far-fetched, and unfortunately this one leans a bit too far the wrong way.
The side story focusing on the support group was actually the most interesting, as it provides a glimpse of the grieving process and psychological effects experienced by mothers of murdered sons.
Even this part flies off the rails towards the end of the movie – though it was with the best intentions.Jennifer Lopez at least seems to take some delight in her character  a role much less restrictive than that of Viola Davis, who is forced to play it straight and angry (and she is very adept at this).
Foreseeable thriller, yet there's a hefty amount of personal conviction invested on Lila & Eve. The morality of revenge has been used as theme in many occasions, Kevin Bacon and Jodie Foster have made similar works before.
It's a story about two mothers seeking justice, yet ultimately absorbed by the vengeance in an attempt to cope with the overwhelming sadness.Viola Davis as Lila is easily the best asset of the movie.
Since the movie almost entirely revolves around her trial, it's a boon to have a reliable lead.Jennifer Lopez has a mixed record in acting.
With Viola Davis, the chemistry is definitely present, she appears to be an integral part of Lila's story than just a guest star.The movie is not without flaws though.
Not too surprising that Viola Davis gives a strong performance as a mother who has a very interesting nervous breakdown after her son's murder from a drive-by, and good for Jennifer Lopez who I can't remember the last time was in something really worth seeing.
Her role as another grieving mother out for vengeance rather than justice was a turn in a different direction.
This film tells the story of a grieving woman who lost her son because of a shooting on the street.
She attends a mothers' support group, where she finds support from another woman who lost her daughter."Lila & Eve" is quite a good thriller!
Viola Davis is very good as a grieving mother.
Jennifer Lopez may not be headlining any big Hollywood movies anymore, but she can still pull off major roles like this one (even if it was initially offered to another actress who had to turn it down due to another commitment she had herself).While this is convincing, even in its way to turn things around, it does have this "break point", where people may get annoyed or disappointed where this turns to (quite literally too).
A cop that knows the truth but let's the perpetrator walk cause out of sentiments?Bad guys that wait long enough so the girls can take out guns out their purses and shoot them?What a lame movie!When I see the positive reactions I guess that we are dealing with a lot of people that are satisfied with thin plot lines and are just happy with the ending of this movie when justice is served.I wonder if there isn't anyone on the million dollar movie set to correct those lame mistakes that are made in this movie.Lopez can't act for a dime....it is time she gave this up..
This is bad in the conventional sense, a lifetime movie about grieving mothers who go on a killing spree to avenge wrongs in the order of things.
But bad films can be sometimes as revealing in the examination of the mechanisms that give rise to narration, and by extension self and life.A mother's son is killed in a drive-by as the film begins, later in her therapy group where mothers come to cope with loss, among different voices in that room offering comfort, urging acceptance, she zeroes in on one that demands justice.
Viola Davis is still brilliant however and Lopez was better than she was in 'Gigli' but not as good as she was in 'Out of Sight'.
Often overlooked Viola Davis and too often noticed Jennifer Lopez twist up this terrific tale to tease your senses...
Regardless Viola Davis is a tremendous actress who always gives a great performance and Jenny from the block still got it too!.
Lila on the other hand, Viola Davis, gave a touching and beautiful performance, considering the script was ordinary.
I wonder if we didn't have Eve in this story if it might have been a better film with Davis carrying it all on her shoulders.
STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning Lila (Viola Davis) loses her son in a drive by shooting, and her life is turned upside down.
But as events roll on, Lila comes to suspect Eve may not be who she says she is.Despite still being what you could call a household name, and even a brand in her own right with the JLo label, it does feel a little like Jennifer Lopez's name on a film won't make it quite the draw that it used to, with this struggling even to find its way onto DVD over here.
And the wisdom to know the difference."Lila (Viola Davis) and Eve (Jennifer Lopez) are two grief-drawn women after their children have been killed.
She's the driving force behind Lisa's revenge.Maybe I wasn't paying attention enough or I was tired while watching "Lila & Eve", because I really didn't see that plot twist coming at the end.
No doubt Viola Davis continues to impress with her amazing talent as a grieving mother willing to do anything to exact justice for her son's unnecessary death.
While many were dissatisfied with the possible holes I found the film to be refreshingly original, well written, great story line, plot and acting.
There are many twists that elevate this above the usual vigilante film: Do mothers have a right to avenge a child's death when the system of justice breaks down ; Are support groups, religion, family, sufficient to comfort those grieving over slain family members ; When bad folks are killed are their mothers any less deserving of sympathy?
Reviewed by: Dare Devil Kid (DDK)Rating: 3.5/5 starsViola Davis is a formidable presence in "Lila & Eve", playing the grieving mother of a teenage son killed in a drive-by shooting by a drug gang.
Lila's (Davis) grief is a pain that no parent should ever experience, and Davis plumbs the depths of that anguish in a stern, electrifying performance that transforms the film into something far beyond a mundane revenge thriller.
While on the surface "Lila & Eve" resembles a grief-stricken mom picking up a gun and wreaking vengeance on the men responsible for her son's death, the movie has much more in mind than purveying violent thrills.
"Lila & Eve" feels like Viola Davis' "Still Alice".
In a just world, this deeply compassionate and politically relevant revenge fantasy would do for Davis what last year's Alzheimer's odyssey did for Julianne Moore: deliver a long overdue Oscar to one of the finest actresses of our generation.Lila's grief is fueled not only by the fact her 18-year-old son, Stephon (Aml Ameen), has been shot down in the street, but also by the apathy displayed by the cops assigned the case.
(This is in part due to how news institutions debate the guilt of each young black man after his death — a distraction from the individual and collective trauma such losses engender.) Though the fatal drive-by shooting that incites "Lila and Eve's" plan for vengeance has nothing to do with the police, it's the cops' eager willingness to dismiss 18-year-old Stephon's (Aml Ameen) death as just another unsolvable casualty in the drug-turf wars — and by extension his mother's desperate need for justice — that sets the fast-moving plot into motion.
Almost a month after her older son's killing, Lila is unable to embrace the agenda of acceptance, forgiveness and baked goods of her grieving mothers' support group.
The movie is at its most emotionally wrenching in scenes filmed in a support group for moms who have lost children to gang violence.
It's there that Lila meets Eve and is urged by her new friend to avenge her son.The movie's familiar thriller aspects are nowhere near as compelling as the two women's angry rejection of the unbearable powerlessness they've been told isn't just their lot to bear, but the right way to respond to their grief.
Lopez's character is the more challenging one in some senses, for the film's tonal consistency largely depends on Eve's temptress role.
The supporting actress occasionally seems more like an id-fueled sprite than a real person, but a late twist satisfactorily reveals why Eve is so sociopathically unbothered by the murders they commit.Though more conflicted about their killing spree, Lila too has her moral compass broken by anguish that affects her far more than she had realized was possible.
The movie unexpectedly shades into the surreal as the two women unleash their wrath on a variety of gangsters, but through it all Davis' portrayal of a mother's pain, moving from hopelessness and despair to revenge and regret, gives the picture its impressive power.
Good movie with a twist.
OK, I do have a possible spoiler, but only if you know the other film and make the connection.Firstly, Jennifer Lopez has always been a decent actor, but she obviously has been getting better.
She plays a very good supporting role here, not Oscar worthy, but very good.Viola Davis masterfully plays her role showing the full range of her talents, and the script for the most part works.I won't say what the twist is, but it's sort of a pseudo Fight Club scenario, and that's all I'll say.Absolutely worth a look!.
Luckily the expectation came right before the twist, so it wasn't as if I was meandering through this movie knowing what was going to happen.
In this movie, there didn't need to be a "happy ending." The story would've flowed better and left a better lasting impression had the detective actually done his job and arrested Lila for the murders and crimes she committed.
The message would've shifted from "a mother scorned" to "our actions have consequences, no matter how noble we think our actions are." This is why I give it an 7 out of 10, and this is the reason I can really only watch this movie once in my lifetime.
Viola Davis did a very beautiful job in portraying her emotions, and I really never saw the "twist" coming.
Jennifer Lopez gets a lot of criticism from some quarters but she in fact is a fine actress and is good as Eve. Viola Davis is Lila and as always gives a great performance.SPOILERS follow: In a theme borrowed from 'Fight Club', Eve is in fact not real, only the alter ego of Lila.
This is a story about a mother who has her son gunned down in a drive by shooting.
The story does a good job to show the emotional pain and problems a mother going through this would encounter.
Viola Davis does a good job in her acting of a grieving mother.
When the revenge part of the story comes it seems a little forced.I am finding it hard to believe anyone is saying that Jennifer Lopez can act, she is downright horrible.
A wonderful film about a mother - Lila (Viola Davis) - who suffers the murder of her oldest son via a drive by shooting.
Eve's story is the story of every grieving mother in the support group.
Eve is the iron willed & stoic persona Lila must become to do what must be done not only for herself but for every mother in the support group she joins.
For Lila the justice system is slow and inefficient so she and Eve go out into the streets to find who murdered her son and along the way she just happens to clean up!This story by Pat Gilfillan and film directed by Charles Stone is not without it's flaws.
His mother is Lila (Viola Davis) and the remainder of the movie basically follows her.
And we watch her growing relationship with Eve (Jennifer Lopez), whom she meets at the support group and who has recently lost her daughter to a murderer.
Basically this ends up being a fairly typical revenge/vigilante movie.
Lila wants justice for her son and since the police seem unable to get it she takes on the job of finding Stephonn's killer herself, egged on by Eve. Davis was decent in the role - portraying Lila as uncomfortable with the killing spree she eventually goes on as she follows the trail to her son's killer and yet unable to stop, so great is her grief and her desire for revenge.
Am still trying to figure out the Jennifer Lopez role in the film.
She befriends Lila, Viola Davis whose son was gunned down while walking down the street and being at the wrong place at the wrong time.It doesn't take much to turn Lila into a virtual killing machine.The film also shows how overwhelmed the police department is when they attempt to solve homicides..
Lila and Eve reads well and has two decent leads and looked like an indie film so I was intrigued.
I guess I expected something along the lines of Death Wish or The Brave One and it has some of those elements but a very poor screenplay ultimately with some very clumsy directing that leaves you completely unsatisfied with the idea.Viola Davis is a great actress.
Jennifer Lopez is a good actress too I think.
I think the idea is great but it misses the mark and ends up being mildly watchable probably due to the talent of Davis and yes even Lopez.