Gripping Blues-Fueled Tale of Salvation

Rating: 8/10 (24 March 2010)

This movie blew me away. I'm not sure what I was expecting going in, but the poster art had definitely grabbed my attention. I had seen director Craig Brewer's previous hit, HUSTLE & FLOW, and thought it was great. Brewer continues the music theme with BLACK SNAKE MOAN, a blues-fueled tale of one man's search for salvation through his attempt to help rescue another. Samuel L. Jackson is Lazarus, an aging blues musician whose wife just ran off with his brother. One morning, he comes across the beaten unconscious form of Rae, a local girl with a wild reputation as a nymphomaniac, on the road outside his home. Lazarus takes her home, nurses her back to health, and decides to help her change her wicked ways; to ensure she doesn't run off in the meantime, he chains her to the radiator in his living room.
This stands out as one of Jackson's best performances and I feel it was a crime that he received no awards (or nominations) for it. His character is a deeply troubled man who's come upon hard times and this is no better displayed than when he busts out his guitar to belt out some blues. Jackson performs his own vocals and even learned to play the guitar for this role, giving his performances that extra authenticity. Christina Ricci is equally perfect as Rae, injecting her with Southern sass while letting bits of purity seep out as Laz's lessons finally begin to reach her. She was the best possible choice to play this role; I don't believe any other actress would've been as able to bring the same beauty, strength, and eventual innocence to the character. Probably the biggest surprise upon viewing this movie was how well Justin Timberlake did in his supporting role as Rae's boyfriend Ronnie, a boy with severe anxiety who's departure for the military sets off the chain of events in the film. I had not seen Timberlake act prior to this film and I was beyond impressed with his capabilities.
The film is strengthened through the wonderful supporting cast, particularly John Cothran as Laz's best friend and local preacher R.L. Still, the most important supporting player in this film remains the music. Brewer uses the blues as a tool for Lazarus and Rae to exorcise themselves of their demons and this is best displayed in a scene where Laz performs the title song ("Black Snake Moan") to Rae one stormy evening and we watch as Laz pours his heart out while Rae struggles to cope with traumatic events from her past. The film culminates into a third act that didn't have the same emotional kick as the rest of the film, but still leaves the characters with hope for a better future. I've seen that many attribute this movie's poor box office performance to poor marketing but I hope that through word-of-mouth this film will find a grander audience, as it's a powerful movie that I recommend to anyone who's ever had the blues.