Deliver Us from Eva
Encyclopedia
Deliver Us from Eva is a 2003 American feature film
starring LL Cool J
and Gabrielle Union
, revolving around LL's character Ray being paid to date a troublesome young lady named Eva (Union). To some extent, it is a modern, urban update of William Shakespeare's play, The Taming of the Shrew
. It was released to the US
theaters on February 7, 2003 by Focus Features
, and also stars Essence Atkins
, Duane Martin
, and Mel Jackson
.
The title is a play on a line of the Lord's Prayer
: "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
Eva and Ray fall hopelessly in love with each other, and Eva even temporarily abandons her shrewish ways. But Ray's friends panic and attempt to break up the blossoming romance, claiming their wives never let them hear the end of the latest with Eva and Ray, and that Eva intends to stay in the city. Things get so complicated that the men finally hatch a daring plan: kidnap Ray, lie to Eva about his death in an accident and cajole her into leaving the city. Eva believes them and arranges a tearful funeral for her "dead" boyfriend, but in the middle of the service Ray appears, having escaped his prison, and the whole truth comes out. An angry Eva dumps Ray, leaves the city and resolves to start a new life. But Ray hasn't quite given up. He shows up at Eva's job on a white horse and persuades her to forgive him. She agrees to take him back, split up the inheritance, and apologizes for her interference in her sisters' relationships.
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
starring LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
and Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Monique Union is an American actress and former model. Among her notable roles is as the cheerleader opposite Kirsten Dunst in the film Bring it On. Union starred opposite Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in the blockbuster film Bad Boys II and played a medical doctor in the CBS drama...
, revolving around LL's character Ray being paid to date a troublesome young lady named Eva (Union). To some extent, it is a modern, urban update of William Shakespeare's play, The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1591.The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the Induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken tinker named Sly into believing he is actually a nobleman himself...
. It was released to the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
theaters on February 7, 2003 by Focus Features
Focus Features
Focus Features is the art house films division of NBC Universal's Universal Pictures, and acts as both a producer and distributor for its own films and a distributor for foreign films....
, and also stars Essence Atkins
Essence Atkins
Essence Uhura Atkins is an American actress. She is best known for the roles of Dee Dee Thorne on the UPN sitcom Half & Half and as Yvette Henderson on the The WB sitcom Smart Guy...
, Duane Martin
Duane Martin
Duane Martin is an American film and television actor.-Personal life:Martin was born in Dayton OH, and went to Dunbar High school and failed the 9th grade freshman year.Then met Tisha Campbell at the New York Liberty City Awards for the World records by doing backflips.-Career:Martin had a short...
, and Mel Jackson
Mel Jackson
Melton Jackson is an African-American actor, producer, spoken word artist and R&B musician.- Career :Film...
.
The title is a play on a line of the Lord's Prayer
Lord's Prayer
The Lord's Prayer is a central prayer in Christianity. In the New Testament of the Christian Bible, it appears in two forms: in the Gospel of Matthew as part of the discourse on ostentation in the Sermon on the Mount, and in the Gospel of Luke, which records Jesus being approached by "one of his...
: "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
Plot
The Dandridge sisters, Evangeline (Eva for short), Kareenah, Bethany and Jacqui live in Los Angeles, California. While Eva does not have a significant other, her sisters do. Eva, who works for the city's health department as an inspector, is bossy and believes only she knows what's best for herself and her sisters and cannot get along at all with their husbands/boyfriends. When the four sisters band together to protect a family inheritance it is the last straw. The men turn to Ray Adams (LL Cool J), a restaurant meat delivery trucker, to solve their problem, paying him to keep Eva busy and out of their respective lives. Unfortunately for Ray, he falls in love with Eva at first sight, but she proves to have a tart tongue and suspicious nature. Adams patiently begins to bring her around to the idea of a romantic relationship, even as she toys with the idea of leaving the city.Eva and Ray fall hopelessly in love with each other, and Eva even temporarily abandons her shrewish ways. But Ray's friends panic and attempt to break up the blossoming romance, claiming their wives never let them hear the end of the latest with Eva and Ray, and that Eva intends to stay in the city. Things get so complicated that the men finally hatch a daring plan: kidnap Ray, lie to Eva about his death in an accident and cajole her into leaving the city. Eva believes them and arranges a tearful funeral for her "dead" boyfriend, but in the middle of the service Ray appears, having escaped his prison, and the whole truth comes out. An angry Eva dumps Ray, leaves the city and resolves to start a new life. But Ray hasn't quite given up. He shows up at Eva's job on a white horse and persuades her to forgive him. She agrees to take him back, split up the inheritance, and apologizes for her interference in her sisters' relationships.
Cast
- LL Cool JLL Cool JJames Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
as Raymond 'Ray' Adams (cast by real name James Todd Smith, used for the first time.) - Gabrielle UnionGabrielle UnionGabrielle Monique Union is an American actress and former model. Among her notable roles is as the cheerleader opposite Kirsten Dunst in the film Bring it On. Union starred opposite Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in the blockbuster film Bad Boys II and played a medical doctor in the CBS drama...
as Evangeline 'Eva' Dandrige - Duane MartinDuane MartinDuane Martin is an American film and television actor.-Personal life:Martin was born in Dayton OH, and went to Dunbar High school and failed the 9th grade freshman year.Then met Tisha Campbell at the New York Liberty City Awards for the World records by doing backflips.-Career:Martin had a short...
as Michael 'Mike' - Essence AtkinsEssence AtkinsEssence Uhura Atkins is an American actress. She is best known for the roles of Dee Dee Thorne on the UPN sitcom Half & Half and as Yvette Henderson on the The WB sitcom Smart Guy...
as Kareenah Dandrige - Robinne LeeRobinne LeeRobinne Lee is an American actress. She appeared in Hotel for Dogs with Don Cheadle and Emma Roberts and with Will Smith in Seven Pounds.-Life and career:...
as Bethany Dandrige - Meagan GoodMeagan GoodMeagan Monique Good is an American film and television actress and occasional film producer. Beginning her career at the age of four, Good has appeared in numerous commercials, television shows, feature films, and music videos....
as Jacqui Dandrige - Mel JacksonMel JacksonMelton Jackson is an African-American actor, producer, spoken word artist and R&B musician.- Career :Film...
as Timothy 'Tim' - Dartanyan Edmonds as Darrell
- Kym WhitleyKym WhitleyKym Elizabeth Whitley is an American actress and comedienne.-Early life:Whitley was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio. She attended Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.-Career:...
as Ormandy - Nikki Washington as Robin
- Royale Watkins as Telly
- Matt WinstonMatt WinstonMatthew "Matt" Winston is an American actor, the son of late special effects artist Stan Winston. He attended Yale, is married to Amy Smallman and has two small children....
as Oscar - Ruben Paul as Rashaun
- Dorian GregoryDorian GregoryDorian Gregory is an American actor most notable for playing Darryl Morris on the television show Charmed, and as the fourth and final permanent host of Soul Train, replacing Shemar Moore.-Background:...
as Lucius Johnson - Kenya MooreKenya MooreKenya Summer Moore is an American film and television actress, producer, beauty queen, model and author.She is recognizable for her roles in movies such as Waiting to Exhale, Deliver Us from Eva and the 2007 Lindsay Lohan thriller I Know Who Killed Me...
as Renee Johnson - Henry Kingi Jr. as Mounted cop
- Steve Stapenhorst as Mayor
- Stephen SauxStephen SauxStephen Thomas Saux, Jr. is an American actor.-Career:Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Saux starting acting in theatre at a young age and in 1995 made his way to Los Angeles. A graduate of The Second City and a member of “Jumping the Shark” improv group, he is a veteran of sketch comedy shows...
as Bartender - Terry CrewsTerry CrewsTerrence Alan "Terry" Crews is an American actor, comedian, voice artist and a former player in the National Football League....
as Big Bartender