Black Snake Moan is a Study in Redemption

Rating: Null/10 (26 September 2008)

Black Snake Moan. Just the Title conjours up pictures of the steamy delta south with old blues men playing after a hard day. Craig Brewster created a masterpiece here in this film about people hurting after being used and abused by others and looking for a chance to strike back or make things right. Sam L Jackson man isn't there anything this man cannot do? His performance as Lazarous ranks as one of his best in an underrated film. the movie centers on two people Lazarous a older bluesman whose wife has left him for his brother. Laz is a Christian who wants to do what is right he was a hell raising bluesman once. But he left that lifestyle years ago to be a farmer and live a simpler lifestyle. and the second person is Rae a hellraising nymphomaniac who is a drug user and uses people. Rae has finally found a man named jimmy who is going into the army and is leaving Rae behind. Rae decides to go party and in the process gets high and gets beaten by a pal of Jimmy's he leaves her for dead at the side of the road. Laz finds her and decides to nurse her back to health But Rae is delusional and is suffering from a fever. Rae tries to seduce Laz and he gets terrified A black man in the south with a young white woman who was beaten and left for dead can still leave a bad message. Laz confuses her with his wife and decides he's going to pull the wickedness from her he Chains her to a Rad in the house. What happens next is amazing as Rae struggles to get free and Laz trying to get rid of his demons become Friends. Well friends of a sort and with that Redemption comes as Laz frees Rae from the chain telling her he was wrong it's not up to him to change her life it's up to her. The courage Rae exhibits in trying to change persuades Laz to pick up the guitar and become a bluesman again. This movie Shows that not only is redemption possible even for the worst of us IT'S Needed by us to move on to for us to live our lives. Sam Jackson displays great courage in doing this role and brings to it a strong and incredible conviction. Plus hearing and seeing Jackson playing the blues is alone enough for me to say this movie is worthy of ten stars. an outstanding movie made with an outstanding cast with an unflinching story that pulls no punches. Go see it.