Real Review - Black Snake Moan

Black Snake Moan is a tale of morality. It examines the themes of sin and redemption, faith, and most importantly, addiction. Written and directed by Craig Brewer, Black Snake Moan is an unassuming film that hooks you into the plot through interesting characters.

Samuel L. Jackson, as Lazarus, turns in an excellent performance. I would go so far as to characterize it as a tour de force. Though not quite as whacked-out as his role in Pulp Fiction, he covers some of the same ground here as the god-fearing farmer and part-time blues-man. Believe it or not, Jackson actually is convincing with his singing and guitar playing.

Christina Ricci, as Rae, the wild young woman who has a problem with saying no to sexual encounters, pairs well with Jackson, and, together, they carry the bulk of the narrative.

The plot of Black Snake Moan goes something like this: Lazarus finds a beat-up and half-naked woman, Rae, on the side of the road by his house. He brings her back to health then chains her to his house so he can cure her of her wicked nature. Rae finally sobers up and learns to trust Lazarus. Both are healed by their relationship, as she learns to deal with her sex addiction and he learns to accept the loss of his wife.

Justin Timberlake plays Ronnie, Rae’s boyfriend. Timberlake surprised me with a decent and emotional performance. Ronnie must face demons of his own and learn to control his anxiety disorder. Also, a special shout-out to Mississippi native David Banner who portrays the local bad-boy, pimp/hustler Tehronne. Both Timberlake and Banner show great promise as actors.

I found the rural, Tennessee countryside to be an effective setting. With a fine, original script, Black Snake Moan succeeds on many levels, and it is an easy recommendation.

I watched Black Snake Moan on HD DVD disc and the PQ was extraordinary. Highly detailed images put it at the top-level. I found the AQ to be generally front-heavy except during the music scenes. The disc includes a commentary, a documentary, some deleted scenes, and a stills gallery.

Rating: 8

Source: Chuck’s Movie Reviews

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