Film Reviews

Black Snake Moan

• Rating:
• Director: Craig Brewer
• Starring: Christina Ricci
• Details: US / 115mins (16).

Black Snake Moan is an odd fish of a movie that tries to be more than it actually is. Nympho Rae (Ricci) is white trash and she knows it. Abused by her mother's boyfriend when she was just a kid, Rae has been messed up all her life and needs boyfriend Ronnie (Timberlake) to keep her on the straight and narrow. Whoring around one night, Rae is beaten badly by Ronnie's friend and is left for dead close to blues guitarist Lazarus's (Jackson) house. Lazarus's wife has just left him for his brother and because he's been in trouble with the law before for "just being black and nearby" the last thing he needs is some half dead girl on his hands. However, seeing a chance for redemption, Lazarus keeps Rae chained to the radiator and nurses her mind and body back to health. Somewhere in the middle of all this, the story gets muddled and disjointed. Like it's on holiday, the plot tends to meander around, wandering over there for a bit, doubling back, changing its mind and takes a rest before starting off again. Although Jackson and Ricci are in magnificent form, the story never gels and tends to gloss over the real issues, issues why writer/director Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow) typed Fade In in the first place. It's hard to tell if Brewer is attempting a comedy, a farce, a serious drama or all three put together, but Black Snake Moan is definitely one thing - steamy.

Review by Gavin Burke