Expect scares in demon possession tale; language, violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Language
a lot
Rampant swearing throughout includes "f--k," "s--t," "ass," "hell," "damn," "goddamn," "bitch," "p---y," "c--t," "nuts," "skanky," "nappy," "whore," "ho," "bull," "f-g," "cockeyed." Use of the "N" word.
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Children get possessed by demons and threaten or kill others. They foam at the mouth, eat their own excrement, chew their skin, bleed uncontrollably, crawl backwards, take on the appearance of others to play on people's weaknesses, speak in tongues, talk with dead people, and show superhuman strength. Characters die. They also abuse each other, including a mother hitting her child, parents and children insulting each other with harsh language, and a woman recalling sexual abuse as a child. A woman describes her own young child's death years earlier. A car almost crashes into a truck.
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A woman is understood to have a drinking problem, yet she has trouble maintaining sobriety and is seen drunk in several scenes. People smoke cigarettes and there's mention of weed.
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A woman flirts with men, who call her "sexy." She accuses one man of being "gay" for not asking her out. People dance suggestively at a party and emerge from bedrooms together. Use of "f--k" to describe sexual behavior.
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A single mother struggles to make ends meet. Her children say they're tired of "being broke." One scene takes place in McDonalds. Other clothing, car, and phone brands are seen.
Diverse Representations
a lot
The cast is mainly Black, with one main White character who is parent to a mixed-race child and called out for only dating Black men. They are also struggling financially. The main characters' circumstances, problems, diction, pastimes, and some behavior could be seen as representing a specific Black experience. The same could be said of the revivalist churches characters attend. A Black woman is disregarded by mostly White women in authority positions, for example at hospitals. In one scene, a schoolteacher describes the history of disparities Black Americans have suffered, including a higher percentage of AIDS victims.
Mothers will do anything for their children, and sometimes don't know their own strength. Faith and the church can serve a helpful role in people's lives. Systemic, historical disparities are at the root of many contemporary problems.
Positive Role Models
some
Despite her own personal issues and occasional violent outbursts, Ebony loves her children and ultimately comes to their rescue. She suffered abuse as a child, yet she still takes care of her own negligent mom. They treat each other roughly, with regular insults. Women come to her aid.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Lee Daniels' majority Black cast in The Deliverance suffer demonic possession and violence, swear profusely, and struggle against racism, trauma, financial shortages, and alcohol addiction. Inspired by a true story, children in this film get possessed by demons and threaten or kill others. They foam at the mouth, eat their own excrement, chew their skin, bleed uncontrollably, crawl backwards, take on the appearance of others to play on people's weaknesses, speak in tongues, talk with dead people, and show superhuman strength. Characters die. They also abuse each other, including a mother hitting her child, parents and children insulting each other with harsh language, and a woman recalling sexual abuse as a child. Some of that language includes "f--k," "s--t," "ass," "hell," "damn," "bitch," "p--y," "c--t," "whore," "f-g," and the "N" word. A woman struggles to maintain sobriety and is seen drinking and smoking. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
This could have been a great movie based on true events but they fumbled it so bad when the kid started walking on the wall CGI was terrible. This could have been a great horror film, and it was fumbled. Good actors tho.
What's the Story?
Single mom Ebony (Andra Day) has moved into a new home to try to care for her three kids and her sick mother (Glenn Close) in THE DELIVERANCE. A representative (Mo'Nique) for Child Protective Services is on her trail, keeping a close eye on Ebony's wavering sobriety and possible abuse of her children, Shante (Demi Singleton), Nate (Caleb McLaughlin), and Andre (Anthony B. Jenkins). As soon as they move into their new home, strange things start happening. There are unexplainable noises and terrible smells. The children start acting strangely and turning up with random bruises. Will Ebony be able to deal with her own personal demons and save her kids from the actual demons haunting their home?
Inspired by true events and well-cast, this exorcism creeper maintains the suspense and provides the jumps scares but also gets bogged down in its own embellishments. Lee Daniels' The Deliverance could easily be read as a parable about Black oppression, and specifically the impossible situation Black women find themselves in caring for families while barely scraping by under constant suspicion from "the system." It could also be seen as a story about the role of the church in the Black community, or the power of Jesus, or the otherworldly strength of mothers.
Day infuses the suggestively named Ebony with grit and vulnerability, showing her at her weakest and her strongest. Close puts in an especially memorable performance as Ebony's ailing but tough-as-nails mother. But Daniels has the female leads get unnecessarily nasty with each other (and their children), and the coarseness of their foul-mouthed, below-the-belt bickering can be off-putting. Some of the possessed behavior is also intentionally gross. Still, it's hard to turn away from either the drama of the first half or the scares of the second, and this film will have no trouble finding a willing audience.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the concept of demonic possession, as seen in The Deliverance. Do you believe in demons or evil spirits? Why or why not?
The film is said to be based on a true story. Does this make it more or less scary, and why? Where could you go for more information on the actual case?
In what ways is Ebony a flawed character? In what ways is she a heroine?
MPAA explanation:
violent content, language throughout and some sexual references
Last updated:
August 30, 2024
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