An interesting take on the root of the blues!

Rating: 7/10 (6 December 2007)

A very well made veracious examination of race, sex, religion, abandonment and neurosis. Undertaken through Ricci's (childhood abused, sexually crazed) nymphomaniac character Rae and Jackson's (equally sick and neglected, moral searching) musician character Lazarus. In believing that God has placed Rae in his path, Lazurus uses his musical skills, of playing the blues, to aid both characters in finding each other under these desperate circumstances. The narrative of this film tells of the values and culture of the people in this Tennessee town and how they deal with the issues of divorce, soul-searching, sexual abuse and psychological disorders. The film is violent and comedic in parts, the best example of this being when Lazurus tells of losing his virginity "it was out behind my uncle's barn with my second cousin", although this is comedic it is also very telling of the films ideas and aims.
Black Snake Moan is an interesting concept that many audiences will relate to and understand, especially if big fans of the blues. However the film is deeper than that and this is evident in our reaction to the characters handling of the films themes as some will feel compelled to contrast these issues to the more developed areas of the western world and a primary example of this being carried out is the town minister, who defies logic by grappling with his own problems through becoming the counsellor and mediator for the lead characters. Directorially the film is very good and Craig Brewer has managed to set himself apart from fellow beginners in the industry, his framing, scene arrangement (misc-en-scene), lighting and general story-telling are very good and almost unmatched in contemporary Hollywood. The film features very solid acting, from both leads and is probably Jackson's best performance since Pulp Fiction, my only doubt lies with Justin Timberlake's character, but on a second viewing I'm sure I'll know the answer to that.
Finally, this film is definitely one of those that will make you stop and examine your audience before deciding who to recommend it to. It is a film with a thoroughly human story that really speaks to the root of the blues.