The Jackson family faces both supernatural terrors and deep-rooted family trauma in Lee Daniels’ Netflix thriller “The Deliverance.” The film stars singer-songwriter Andra Day as Ebony, a single mother who has just moved with her three children into their first home in Gary, Indiana. Soon after settling in, Ebony discovers that demonic spirits haunt her basement, altering their lives forever.
As the family navigates these external horrors, their internal struggles come to the forefront. Recently separated from her children’s father, Ebony seeks assistance from her mother, Alberta, played by Glenn Close, to help manage the transition. However, their relationship is fraught with tension. Ebony, who grapples with alcohol addiction, is often short-tempered, taking her frustrations out on her children.
Day describes Ebony as a traumatized figure doing her best amid her challenges. “She’s trying as much as she can to not raise her kids in the same environment that her mother raised her in,” Day explains, highlighting Ebony’s desire to break the cycle of abuse.
Set in 2011 and inspired by real-life accounts, the film begins with the Jacksons’ move into a new home that quickly reveals a history of hauntings. Strange occurrences, including an influx of flies and eerie noises, plague their lives. Youngest son Andre becomes increasingly drawn to the dark, fly-infested basement, claiming to talk to an imaginary friend named Trey.
While facing mounting familial pressures, including financing her mother’s cancer treatments and an active Department of Child Services case, Ebony’s parenting style becomes increasingly erratic and abusive, creating a toxic environment for her children. This troubling dynamic is compounded by Alberta’s temporary residency, which complicates their relationship further as they navigate past traumas and financial burdens.
As supernatural events escalate, the family can no longer ignore the evil encroaching on their lives. A chilling incident occurs when Alberta and Ebony walk in on their oldest son Nate seemingly possessed and threatening Andre. Alberta seeks help from local churches, but Ebony spurns the aid of Reverend Bernice James, who has experience dealing with hauntings.
The situation spirals when Ebony discovers her mother unconscious on the floor, leading her to realize that Andre is possessed. Following a harrowing late-night drive with her children, tensions rise as Andre lashes out and reveals the darker truths facing their family. This triggers a series of events that culminates in a hospital visit where Andre’s disturbing behavior raises alarms.
Ebony’s quest to reclaim her children leads her back to Reverend James, who aids her in a desperate exorcism attempt known as “the deliverance.” In a climactic confrontation with Andre, the ritual fails, resulting in tragic consequences for the reverend. Guided by a newfound strength from her mother’s voice, Ebony faces the demon possessing her son, leading to an explosive conclusion where she ultimately succeeds in freeing him.
Andra Day acknowledges that portraying Ebony brought her face-to-face with her own unresolved issues during filming. “I really had to face a few other unresolved issues in my life that I thought I had resolved in order to play Ebony,” she reflects.
“The Deliverance” ultimately paints a complex picture of a family’s struggle against both internal and external demons, exploring themes of trauma, redemption, and the fight for survival.