The Deliverance

Ebony Jackson is a mother of three: eldest teen son Nate, teen daughter Shante, and youngest son Dre. The four have just moved into a new home, their third in a short time frame. They are joined by Ebony's elderly mother Alberta, who has cancer and recently became a Christian. Unbeknownst to Alberta, her insurance stopped covering treatment; to prevent a change to a lesser care facility, Ebony has been paying for it out of her own pocket. This has put her in arrears on many expenses, sending her into collections. Complicating matters further are Ebony's personal issues. In addition to having a criminal past that includes serving time in prison, she also has a history of alcohol abuse, and when drinking, becomes physically violent with her children. This has led to the intervention of Child Protective Services, and she has been assigned caseworker Cynthia, with whom the family have a contentious relationship. Dre starts talking about and to an unseen presence whom he calls Tre, whom he says takes residence alternately in the basement and bedroom closet. A dead cat appears in the basement, where there is a large hole in the unfinished concrete floor, and on multiple occasions, Dre has gone there only to be found afterward in a catatonic state. Shante and Nate also start acting unusual. One evening a drunken Ebony hears a banging coming from the children's bedroom; she rushes in angrily. Alberta hears the children screaming and comes in to find a huge hole in the wall with Ebony sitting on the floor with a baseball bat. Ebony denies any wrongdoing. Cynthia visits the home after being unable to find Ebony at her prior address, and confronts her about bruises on the children. The whole family denies Ebony's responsibility. The family notices a woman in a car watching them, assuming she is connected to Cynthia. That day at school all three children have inexplicable psychiatric incidents, leading to their hospitalization and evaluation. Doctors find nothing wrong with them and send them home. The woman in the car ends up confronting Ebony and telling her she is a Pentecostal pastor who tried to prevent an incident in the house 20 years earlier in which a mother slaughtered her family and killed herself. She claims a demon possessed the woman and the demon is now possessing Ebony's family. Ebony initially doesn't believe her but returns home to find Alberta's crucifix on the wall aflame and Alberta herself dead by Dre's hand. The children are taken into custody and Ebony is given a psychiatric evaluation, but Cynthia convinces them not to commit her. Hours later Cynthia witnesses Dre climb backwards up a wall and realizes something supernatural is occurring. The pastor prays the sinner's prayer with Ebony, who becomes a believer. She then helps Ebony kidnap Dre from the hospital and bring him home where they attempt a deliverance prayer. The demon Tre uses Dre to kill the pastor, and has a battle against Ebony, who uses holy anointing oil against him. Meanwhile her other children are possessed remotely and begin manifesting supernatural injuries. Nearly killed by the demon, at the last moment Ebony calls upon Jesus to help her. Suddenly filled with the Holy Spirit, she begins speaking in tongues and successfully exorcises the demon. During the deliverance, Ebony's other children develop stigmata. Afterwards, Ebony and Cynthia agree to work together to regain full custody of the children, and she gifts Cynthia a cross necklace to help instill a deeper faith in her. Six months later, Ebony is reunited with her children. They drive to Philadelphia as she announces that she and their father are reconciling.