Posted: 03/08/2007

Black Snake Moan

(2007)

by Tony Liccardello

Writer/Director Craig Brewer follows up his 2005 hit film Hustle and Flow with the dark and strange tale that is Black Snake Moan. In this story, Lazarus (Samuel L. Jackson) is a broken-down man whose wife just left him. His skills as a blues musician are still there, but he’s content just to get by selling of homegrown vegetables from his pick-up truck. Bitter and angry at the world, Lazarus’s life is thrown a curve ball when Lazarus discovers Rae (Christina Ricci) in his driveway, battered and bloody.

After being informed that Rae has “the sickness,” Lazarus takes it upon himself to cure her. And by “sickness,” what she does is basically slut it up with anything that moves. This is partly because her boyfriend gets sent to fight in Iraq, as well as being touched as a child by her mother’s creepy boyfriend. So Lazarus does what any normal person would do: he chains Rae, a scantily clad bombshell, to his radiator in hopes of ridding her of her sickness. But the thing is, Rae isn’t the only one that is sick. Lazarus gave up his passion when his wife left him, so in essence, these characters really help balance each other out. Although the movie is an exploitation flick, it is actually really funny. Whether it is from shock or awkwardness, there are some quality laughs to be had.

The caliber of acting is excellent. Ricci is smoldering as the troubled sex addict, and Samuel L. Jackson gives one of his best performances. Also, few other soundtracks can complement a film the way this one does. The heavy blues perfectly plays into Lazarus’s character, as does the location.

Unfortunately, after the initial “saving” of Rae has been accomplished, the story strays in a direction that is a little inconsistent of the first half, deflating some of the energy it initially generates. The story also has the feeling of a fable. Odd, considering it is set in present day. Also, Lazarus and Rae share some great moments together. The morality tale of two people searching for a fix to their problems boils down to fate in this story, where Rae helps Lazarus spark what he once had, and Lazarus tries to rid Rae of her ongoing addiction.

Black Snake Moan is definitely an original story, and it is great that Ricci and Jackson take chances with films such as this. It isn’t for everyone, as it is a little crazy, maybe too much for some, but for those who stay with this one, they will get a memorable story. Oh, and Christina Ricci looks like a supermodel in this, which doesn’t hurt.

Grade: B-

Tony Liccardello is a film reviewer living in Chicago.

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