Down in the Delta

Chicago matriarch Rosa Lynn (Alice) tries to prevent her jobless, single-mom daughter Loretta (Woodard) from succumbing to drugs, alcohol, and the other destructive forces that are a part of her rough neighborhood. She sends her Loretta and her two grandchildren (including an autistic boy) to her brother's home in the Mississippi delta, hoping that they'll reconnect to their roots. Though reluctant at first, Loretta finds herself slowly changing her ways as she works in Uncle Earl's restaurant; she is moved by his love of family, particularly his Alzheimer-ridden wife (Rolle). Poet-novelist Maya Angelou's first outing as a director skillfully demonstrates the importance of connecting to one's heritage. Woodard shines energetically as the strung-out mom and Freeman is nearly perfect as the elegant and tender Uncle Earl.