Exploitation, but with heart

Rating: 7/10 (10 March 2015)

Y'know, it's funny, the only thing I'd heard about "Black Snake Moan was that Samuel L. Jackson chains Christina Ricci to a radiator. Which, in and of itself, will leave you with the wrong connotations. But it's not until he actually does fasten her down that the movie finally gets interesting. Prior to that moment, this was some harsh subject matter, and I wasn't sure I wanted to stick around to see more punishment. But that brutality pays off in a redemptive second half, which is where - thankfully - the black humor is allowed to manifest. Both of these characters are human with their own demons to exorcise, and there's actually some love there. There's a growing bond that we're able to hang onto as an audience. This is a worthwhile story, no question, and the message seems to be healing through restraint and good old fashioned blues. Unconventional, but also kinda refreshing.
7/10