Black Snake Moan
Craig Brewer may just be one of the hottest writers and directors to watch. First, there was the remarkable Hustle & Flow, which Brewer wrote and directed. He also directed 2000’s The Poor and the Hungry, which is impossible to find and, as such, I haven’t seen it. With his 2007 release, Black Snake Moan, the Virginia-born director proves his mettle once again with this steamy scorcher of a film. Black Snake Moan took me by surprise with its tale of theology, sexuality, anxiety, and the power of the blues. It is an incredible film with tremendous performances and a tight script.
Black Snake Moan is an odd, peculiar film about race, sex, and redemption in the Deep South. Filmed in Tennessee, in both Memphis and Stanton, this film is all about the mood it creates. Loosely based on George Eliot’s 1861 novel Silas Marner, Black Snake Moan features a cast of broken-down and troubled characters that, lost in the scorching heat of Tennessee, are struggling for some form of redemption whether they want it or not.
Samuel L. Jackson stars as Lazarus, a broken-down blues musician whose deep faith in God keeps him moving through the day. He has become a bitter man, however, as his wife has left him for his brother. Christina Ricci stars as Rae, a young nymphomaniac. She descends into bouts of promiscuity and heavy drug use after her boyfriend and saving grace, Ronnie (Justin Timberlake), is deployed in the National Guard. One fateful evening finds Rae being taken advantage of again and again and, as a result of a messy situation, she is beaten and left for dead on the side of the road near Lazarus’ farm. Lazarus discovers her the next day, nurses her back to health, and tries to invoke some morals into the young heathen.
Craig Brewer’s films are about broken-down characters seeking redemption. The beauty of Hustle & Flow was tied up in the cycle of prostitution and redemption that Brewer put out through his characters and a similar vibe infuses Black Snake Moan. The music, the blues, lays down a solid foundation for the situations and for the characters, as the desperation, passion, and fire in the music blasts through the prejudices in one steamy scene after another until the viewer practically begs for mercy. Brewer pushes envelopes here, but he pushes them in the right way. Audiences will likely want to have a few fans running during the film as a result.
Ricci’s Rae is a broken-down character in the truest sense of the word. She has likely never been treated like anything other than an animal and a slut, so it’s easy to feel some sympathy towards her especially when we learn of her mother’s foul treatment. Rae has never taken the right path in her life because she never knew where the right path was. Ricci approaches notions of Rae’s nymphomania like a woman possessed, as though she is being attacked by a zillion fire ants each time she feels her urges. This performance is remarkably good, as Ricci spends most of the film in various stages of undress and battery, making her performance all the more poignant when she grasps for some glimmer of hope.
Jackson is also good as Lazarus, as he seeks redemption in his own life and tries to move on from his pain. He uses the blues as medication and, in one scene in which he plays in front of a large, writhing, sweaty, and sexy crowd, he appears to cure everyone in the room with his vitriolic tunes. Jackson vanishes into the role and plays what may well be one of his best performances as Lazarus. He uses energy and daring techniques here, taking on a ballsy role with reckless abandon. Jackson will doubtlessly be overlooked come Oscar time, but to me that’s a travesty. Few other actors could pull off what he does in this film.
The beauty of Black Snake Moan is the imperfections of the characters. The spittle flies from the mouths of people as they talk, the lighting displays all of the feature flaws, the clothing is tattered and sweat-stained, and the surroundings are hot and scorching. Each character not only acts flawed, but is flawed. Even Timberlake is good here as Ronnie, a young man so prone to panic attacks and anxiety that he finds himself incapable of handling the situation he’s in. Ronnie and Rae have a remarkable relationship, as they are the veritable tonic for what ails the other, forming a true bond that is expressed in loving sacrifice. Brewer’s picture captures this eloquently with a charming closing scene that shows just how much this troubled pair needs each other.
Black Snake Moan is one of the best films of 2007. Its intensity, its fire, and its passion make it among the most daring films of the year. It tries several atypical and anomalous things and, thankfully, it succeeds on all accounts. The performances are grand, the direction is audacious and ingenious, the music is hot, and the script is articulate and tantalizing. Black Snake Moan is a beautiful meditation and a blast of hot, sweaty, sizzling heat.
