"Black Snake Moan" is one of those movies that fell victim to bad marketing. Just look at the poster and tell me, what in the world is this movie about? Who is it for, and what the hell does the title mean? "Everything is hotter down South" - uhhh, is this porn?
While it almost got lost in the shuffle, I loved this little gem of a movie. The story centers around two lost souls - the character of Rae, played by Christina Ricci, and the character of Lazarus, played by Samuel L. Jackson. Both of them have "fallen" in their own way, and somehow land in each other's paths, which leads to the possibility of redemption. There is a third character that is equally important to the movie (totally absent from the poster), and that is the music - the haunting, passionate, heartbreaking blues that guide us through the story and move us as much as the events that unfold. I actually think that this photo is a better depiction of the movie.
The acting is great, and both characters pull you in immediately. Rae's downward spiral and loud cries for help are equally matched by Lazarus's ticking time-bomb outbursts. These characters are surrounded by people, but so alone. Lazarus's outrageous gesture of trying to "fix" Rae and her wickedness, by chaining her to the radiator in his house, eventually gets overshadowed by the humanity that emerges. And as their relationship develops, the blues curl around them like a warm blanket and pulls them back in to the passion and energy that is life.
There are not many surprises in the story - you've heard this one before, it's a Southern fable told again and again, set in a steamy, gritty, country location. Insects buzz, sweat glistens, honey drips, and there is nothing like the taste of sweet summer corn. What makes it good is the players, and they are very good.
Christina Ricci's performance reminded me a lot of Reece Witherspoon in "Freeway", down to her accent. Her character is tougher than nails on the outside, but with a vulnerable interior. Her sexuality has a rawness about it that makes it almost non-sexual - it's hard, aggressive, and sharp-edged - almost a weapon, against others and ultimately against herself.
Samuel L. Jackson plays the tortured Lazarus very well, with perfect timing and a performance as unwavering as his character's willpower. The softer side of his character emerges when he plays his music, and through his cooking.
Craig Brewer, who wrote and directed this movie, does a great job of telling this story without making it too cliche (this is no modern day "Driving Miss Daisy"). He entertains us, with a un-apologetic dose of in-your-face reality, but at the same time with a sympathetic view of the characters, much like in his other movie "Hustle & Flow". John Singleton produced both of these movies as well, so they share a similar style. These characters certainly live in more extreme circumstances that we see in our lives, but their truths are universal and can be found in all of us who are just trying to find our way in this world.
