Andra Day
Ebony Jackson
Overview
Ebony Jackson, a struggling single mother fighting her personal demons, moves her family into a new home for a fresh start. But when strange occurrences inside the home raise the suspicions of Child Protective Services and threaten to tear the family apart, Ebony soon finds herself locked in a battle for her life and the souls of her children.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Devil You Know
I kept waiting for The Deliverance to pick a lane. Is it a family drama about poverty and addiction? A supernatural thriller about demonic possession?
A faith-based parable about the power of prayer? Lee Daniels, in his first foray into horror, seems determined to do all three at once—and the result is a film that lurches between raw emotional power and cheap jump scares like a car with a stuck accelerator. That’s not to say it doesn’t have its moments.
There’s a scene early on where Andra Day’s Ebony Jackson, a single mother struggling to keep her family afloat, sits at her kitchen table with a social worker. The camera lingers on her face as she tries to explain why her son’s behavior has changed. It’s not the demonic growls or levitating furniture that unsettles—it’s the way Day’s voice cracks when she says, “I just need a little help.” For a brief moment, The Deliverance feels like a different kind of horror movie, one about the real-life demons of systemic neglect.
Then the lights flicker, a child’s voice distorts into something inhuman, and we’re back in The Exorcist’s shadow.
Daniels has never been a subtle filmmaker, and The Deliverance is no exception. Here, he uses the Ammons haunting case, a real-life 2011 incident in Gary, Indiana, as a framework to explore generational trauma, addiction, and the ways poverty can feel like a kind of possession. The problem isn’t the ambition; it’s the execution.
The film’s supernatural elements often feel tacked on, as if Daniels couldn’t resist the temptation to lean into the genre’s tropes. RogerEbert.com put it best: “The Deliverance would have worked just fine if it had functioned solely as a domestic drama.” Instead, we get a film that’s equal parts Precious and The Conjuring, and the mix rarely coheres. The performances, at least, are a saving grace.
Day carries the film with a quiet intensity, her Ebony a woman stretched thin by circumstance and now by something far worse. But it’s Glenn Close, as the family’s sharp-tongued grandmother Alberta, who steals every scene she’s in. Close has always had a knack for playing women who are equal parts terrifying and tragic, and Alberta is no exception.
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsLee Daniels’ The Deliverance: A Supernatural Thriller Born from Real-Life Horror
Lee Daniels’ The Deliverance (2024) isn’t just another exorcism movie—it’s a genre-bending dive into darkness, possession, and faith, anchored by a powerhouse cast and a story ripped from unsettling real-life events. The Netflix horror-drama, starring Andra Day, Glenn Close, and Mo’Nique, has already sparked debate for its ambitious blend of supernatural terror and social commentary. But how much of it is true? latestnetflix.com's read is that and what went into bringing this chilling tale to life?
A True Story That Haunted the Director
The Deliverance is "inspired by a true story," a tagline that immediately raises eyebrows—and for good reason. The film draws from the infamous Ammons haunting case, a 2011 Indiana incident where a family claimed their home was plagued by demonic forces. Daniels has been vocal about his fascination with the case, framing it as more than just a ghost story. "It’s about finding a higher power in the face of evil," he told Netflix’s Tudum 
. The real-life events involved alleged possessions, police investigations, and even a documentary (The Devil Inside), making it fertile ground for a horror film.
But how closely does The Deliverance stick to the facts? The film takes creative liberties, as Daniels himself admitted: "Nothing is as it seems" . While the Ammons case remains controversial—some dismiss it as mass hysteria or fraud—the movie leans into the supernatural, blending psychological horror with spiritual warfare. For Daniels, the story was personal. "I grew up in the church, and I’ve seen the power of faith—and the darkness that can come when it’s tested," he said .
A Star-Studded Cast Battles Demons (and Genre Expectations)
Daniels assembled a heavyweight ensemble, with Andra Day leading as Ebony, a mother fighting to save her family from a malevolent force. Glenn Close plays a social worker entangled in the chaos, while Mo’Nique and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor deliver scene-stealing performances as women grappling with their own demons—literal and metaphorical.
The casting choices raised eyebrows, particularly Mo’Nique, who last worked with Daniels on Precious (2009). Their reunion was highly anticipated, though early reviews suggest her role is more subdued than her Oscar-winning turn in Precious . Meanwhile, Caleb McLaughlin (Stranger Things) and Demi Singleton (King Richard) play Ebony’s children, adding emotional weight to the supernatural stakes.
But not all critics were convinced. IndieWire called the film a "confused genre effort," arguing that Daniels’ signature melodrama clashes with the horror elements . The Hollywood Reporter was slightly kinder, praising Day and Close’s performances but noting the movie’s tonal whiplash . Still, with Daniels at the helm, The Deliverance was never going to be a straightforward scare-fest—it’s a character-driven nightmare, where the real horror might be the family’s unraveling.
Behind the Scenes: A Director’s Vision (and a Netflix Gamble)
Daniels has never shied away from bold, provocative storytelling—Precious, The Butler, and Empire all pushed boundaries. The Deliverance is no different, blending horror with social commentary on race, poverty, and faith. But the film’s production wasn’t without challenges.
Rumors swirled about on-set tensions, particularly between Daniels and Mo’Nique, though neither has confirmed any rift. (Their Precious collaboration ended in a public feud, making their reunion a topic of speculation.) Meanwhile, Netflix reportedly gave Daniels significant creative freedom, banking on his ability to deliver a prestige horror-drama hybrid . The streaming giant has been aggressive in the genre, and The Deliverance fits its strategy of high-profile, star-driven thrillers.
The film’s marketing leaned heavily on its "true story" angle, with Netflix releasing a featurette where Daniels discussed his vision. "This isn’t just about demons," he said. "It’s about the demons we carry inside us" . Whether audiences buy into that lofty ambition remains to be seen—early reviews are mixed, but the cast’s performances and the real-life inspiration ensure The Deliverance won’t be forgotten quickly.
The Verdict: A Flawed but Fascinating Experiment
The Deliverance is a risky swing from Daniels, one that doesn’t always land. Its genre-blurring approach may frustrate horror purists, while its melodramatic flourishes could alienate fans of straightforward scares. But there’s no denying the film’s ambition—or its star power.
For those who stick with it, The Deliverance offers a haunting meditation on faith, family, and the unseen forces that shape our lives. And with the Ammons case still shrouded in mystery, the movie’s blend of fact and fiction ensures it lingers in the mind long after the credits roll.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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