Black Snake Moan is a 2007 American drama film directed by Craig Brewer and written by Brewer and Scott Cooper. The film stars Samuel L. Jackson as Lazarus Redd, a blues musician who takes in a young woman named Rae Doole (Christina Ricci) who has a history of sexual abuse and suffers from nymphomania, and Lazarus helps her heal both physically and emotionally.
The film was a box office flop, grossing $10.9 million against a budget of $15 million. It was praised for its performances, direction, and screenplay, and it was nominated for several awards, including the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.
The premise of the film
Black Snake Moan is set in rural Mississippi and tells the story of Lazarus Redd (Samuel L. Jackson), a blues musician who lives in a small shack on the outskirts of town. Lazarus is a widower, a former alcoholic, and a religious farmer, who spends his days playing the blues and tending to his garden. One day, Lazarus finds Rae (Christina Ricci) naked and beaten, lying on the side of a street. Rae is a girl who has been struggling with sex addiction, and she is clearly in a bad state. Her boyfriend, Ronnie Morgan (Justin Timberlake), is deployed with the 196th Field Artillery Brigade, Tennessee National Guard; and in his absence, she indulges in promiscuous activities.
Lazarus takes Rae home with him and nurses her back to health. As Rae heals, she and Lazarus begin to form a bond. Lazarus helps Rae overcome her sex addiction, and Rae helps Lazarus reconnect with his music. The two of them develop a deep understanding of each other.
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The film was way ahead of its time and had a mixed critical response
Black Snake Moan is a film that explores a number of themes, including sex addiction, redemption, and the power of music. The film also explores the relationship between men and women and the ways in which they can both help and hinder each other. Lazarus helps Rae overcome her addiction, but it is a difficult process.
The film shows the pain and suffering that addiction can cause, but it also shows the hope that is possible for those who are willing to fight for their recovery. Another central theme of Black Snake Moan is redemption.
The filming of the project also helped develop a similar connection between Jackson and Ricci, like that of their respective characters. In an interview, upon being asked if it was difficult working with a beautiful actress who was clad in skimpy clothes and laden with a 40lbs chain, he addressed the same, saying,
“Well, you know after about I guess an hour of looking at Christina in those little panties and that shirt, you kind of get over it because that’s what she had on every day and she didn’t put on a robe between shots and hide herself. She just kind of hung out, so you get over it pretty quickly. The great thing was that during the rehearsal period, Christina and I developed this really interesting bond and interesting trust that kind of allowed her to kind of go anywhere she wanted to, and I’d support her to the point where, as an actor or as Samuel L. Jackson, I became another sort of Lazarus figure..”
Black Snake Moan is a powerful and moving film that explores a number of important themes. The film is well-acted, well-directed, and well-written, and it is sure to stay with you long after you have seen it.
Black Snake Moan is available to rent on Prime Video.
Source: Collider
