Parents' Guide to

Lila & Eve

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Revenge thriller packs violent punch but lacks excitement.

Movie R 2015 94 minutes
Lila & Eve Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

After her teenage son is killed in a drive-by shooting, Lila (Viola Davis) is falling apart -- until she meets Eve (Jennifer Lopez) at a support group for grieving mothers. The two women help each other come to terms with their losses, and after realizing they can't expect any help from the police, they set out to find the drug dealers who were responsible for the murder ... and take matters into their own hands.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (2):

LILA & EVE has a simple but compelling premise, and Davis is excellent as a mother at the end of her rope. We believe that she's about to fall off a cliff of despair, just as we see the love between the mother and her sons during flashback scenes. What's less believable is Lopez as an angry mother eager to encourage her new friend Lila to commit murder. Lopez doesn't carry her share of the dramatic weight, and the surprise plot twist at the end doesn't feel like much of a surprise. It's shocking to see the two women go up against hardened criminals and take them down in a series of gunfights that get more and more extreme. But it doesn't feel authentic. The movie drags on, slowly taking viewers on a trip that doesn't ultimately feel like it has much payoff.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Lila & Eve's violence. How does its impact compare to what you might see in a horror or action movie? Do you think different types of violence affect viewers differently?

  • What is the movie saying about revenge? Do the ends ever justify the means?

  • What do you think about Lila's relationship with Eve? How does Eve encourage Lila to expand her circle of retribution? Can either woman be considered a role model?

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