"Girl, you put the fear of the devil in me."

Rating: 9/10 (5 July 2017)

You can always expect a competent performance from Samuel L. Jackson, but Christina Ricci is simply outstanding here in her role as the white trash town whore Rae, devastated by her boyfriend's enlistment in the Army. Some will see this as a sexploitation film, what with Ricci's nearly naked body on display most of the time, and the theatrical poster suggesting a bondage theme to titillate potential movie goers. The picture itself is a bit more complex than that, examining the fragile relationship between a down and out former blues man and the woman he's attempting to cure of her sex addiction. What didn't quite ring true for me was the idea that Lazarus (Jackson) didn't know who Rae was when he found her by the side of the road. Seems like everyone else in town knew about her and her sordid reputation. For her part, Rae's unbridled lust to get it on with anything that moved seemed seriously hyped; that scene suggesting her seduction of young Lincoln (Neimus K. Williams) went clearly over the top. This isn't the type of film one seeks out for it's entertainment value because it's pretty bleak most of the time, though the redemption theme gets to play out in due course, even if the credibility factor gets stretched to the max. I thought the story was a good one, and if you're a fan of blues music, the bar scene when Jackson brings out the Gibson ES-335 is a cool bonus.