I aim to cure you of your wicked ways.

Rating: 7/10 (23 April 2008)

After Hustle & Flow, I just knew that Craig Brewer would present another great musical moment and a story of redemption and renewal. Although this film does not live up to his earlier success, it is, nonetheless, a film worth watching and has a strong message of hope.
The draw is not only Craig Brewer, but the outstanding acting of Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci. A great supporting cast, including John Cothran Jr. and S. Epatha Merkerson, made this film more than enjoyable.
The only thing that kept this movie from being more, was that it gave less than it should. The idea was great, but there really never was any effort made by Laz to help Rae except chain her up. He left all the hard work to the Reverend R. L., and gave up before she could really be called changed.
The psychological effects of child sexual abuse are severe, and the denial by Rae's mother is all too common, but they really stretched it to have some pain traveling down from her head to her uterus, with the only cure a hard f*ck. That detracted from the real trauma experienced by Rae that drove her behavior. You see how she changed in just one week by foregoing alcohol and drugs. That message should have been stronger.
But, I am not here to bury the Snake, but to praise it for the great music, the fine acting, and a story that really was worth telling, even if it had some weaknesses.