The Motown-inspired opening title sequence hints at a better, classier movie than "Deliver Us from Eva" can possibly be.

That said, though, this urban-oriented romantic comedy is still a better, classier movie than any of us could have realistically expected it to be.

And sure it's a bit formulaic. But what romantic comedy these days isn't? Besides, it's surprisingly sweet — so much so, in fact, that even some lowbrow moments can't completely undo it.

Same goes for a final third that suggests the filmmakers painted themselves into a corner and then they couldn't find the right way to clean up the mess they made.

The title of the film refers to Eva (Gabrielle Union), the outspoken oldest sister and head of the Dandridge clan. Her siblings — Kareena (Essence Atkins), Bethany (Robinne Lee) and Jacqui (Meagan Good) — look up to Eva and trust her judgment.

That doesn't sit too well with their respective partners — Tim (Mel Jackson), Mike (Duane Martin) and Darryl (Dartanyan Edmonds). So the three men try to get rid of her . . . in a strictly "non-lethal" manner, of course.

Figuring heavily into their plan is Ray (James Todd Smith, better known as LL Cool J), a smooth-talking "player" looking for cash so he can make a down payment on a house.

But for their plan to work, Ray has to actually win the naturally suspicious Eva over. There's also one big complication to contend with: The philandering Ray actually starts to fall for his latest "victim."

Yes, you're correct in assuming this has more than a little in common with Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" — even if director/co-screenwriter Gary Hardwick doesn't acknowledge that debt.

Hardwick has also put a huge burden on his rapper-turned-actor star: The whole movie hinges on the audience buying into the relationship between LL Cool J's womanizing Ray and Union's frostier-than-frosty Eva.

Fortunately, they've got plenty of chemistry — even if her performance is occasionally too abrasive and his range is sometimes tested by the more dramatic moments.

"Deliver Us from Eva" is rated R for crude sexual humor (verbal and sights gags, as well as other references) and frank sexual talk, scattered use of strong profanity, brief sex and brief violence (fisticuffs, done for laughs). Running time: 105 minutes.

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