"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine..."

Rating: 9/10 (28 June 2007)

Samuel L. Jackson is one of the most admirable (and greatest) of living American actors. Every performance he gives is imbued with immense passion and life, even when he's reduced to punching snakes and sword-fighting with philosophic Muppets. Black Snake Moan is certainly no exception. It can easily be called one of his greatest performances right alongside Pulp Fiction, Changing Lanes, and Jungle Fever.
Jackson is Lazarus, a Southern farmer and gifted bluesman who's in the middle of a volatile divorce from his wife, Rose (Adriane Lennox). One morning, he looks and sees half-naked Rae (Christina Ricci) beaten bloody and lying in the middle of the road. He picks her up, takes her inside, and nurses her back to health. Oh, and he attaches her to a fifty-pound steel chain so she can't escape.
See, Rae is a nymphomaniac, and occasionally has "spells" where she gets antsydown there and has to have it fixed right quick. Her boyfriend and main nookie source, Ronnie (Justin Timberlake), has just shipped off to war leaving Rae to look to the local boys for satisfaction. After one particularly rough encounter with one of Ronnie's buddies, she ends up in front of Lazarus' house.
The film rises above its seemingly ludicrous premise by correctly doing everything that a great movie is supposed to do. As mentioned before, Jackson is superb as Lazarus. Needless to say, he nails the character's rage perfectly, while also capturing Lazarus' damaged faith and empty heart to perfection. That's where Rae comes in. Brilliantly played by Ricci, Rae has a deeply damaged past and Lazarus is just what she needs: a strong and positive father figure. In a wise move, Brewer keeps the sexual tension in check, releasing just enough to keep the story interesting and believable. This isn't a story about sex; it's about humanity, and how even in the ugliest of circumstances, we have the ability to heal each other. There's a haunting and incredibly moving scene where, with the assistance of his guitar, Lazarus helps Rae confront and defeat the demons at her door both literally and figuratively. It's one of the most powerful I can remember in recent years.
Even Justin Timberlake comes across as impressive. When Ronnie returns and learns of Rae's relationship with Lazarus, he confronts the situation head on. The scene could have come across as contrived were it not for Timberlake's performance and Craig Brewer's excellent direction. Another strong supporting performance is delivered by John Cothran Jr. as R.L., Lazarus' preacher friend. He delivers some of the film's best writing in an excellent monologue, questioning modern Christians' emphasis on heaven rather than doing good while you're alive.
In a time of stunted originality and overused ideas, Brewer is a godsend. Here, he expands upon the immense promise he showed in his previous film, Hustle and Flow, which garnered Terence Howard a much-deserved Oscar nomination. He has a clear, innovative vision and follows it through to the end. And isn't that the first sign of a gifted filmmaker?