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Review #415 of 365
Movie Review of Black Snake Moan (2007) [R] 115 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $11.25
Where Viewed: AMC Westminster Promenade 24, Westminster, CO
When 1st Seen: 4 March 2007
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Film's Official Website • Film's Trailer
DVD Release Date: unscheduled
Directed by: Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow)
Written by: Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow)
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Samuel L. Jackson (Snakes on a Plane) • Christina Ricci (Monster) • Justin Timberlake (Alpha Dog) • S. Epatha Merkerson ("Law & Order") • John Cothran Jr. (Sin's Kitchen)
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After seeing this, Samuel L. Jackson's second film in a row featuring a snake in the title, the latter albeit a metaphor, nonetheless, a word of advice for him and maybe all people, don't eagerly sign up for films featuring snakes in the title. To be fair, Black Snake Moan, Hustle and Flow's writer / director Craig Brewer's new film should never have been put in the hands of certain marketers. The ad campaign from the trailer to the poster all emphasize two things: "EVERYTHING IS HOTTER DOWN SOUTH" and Christina Ricci's character locked up in chains put on her by Samuel L. Jackson's character. So, upon deciding to see this film, honestly, one has really no idea what the film's really about, though images of Boxing Helena did come to mind. Why, however, people would be drawn to this film based on this marketing scheme is a little sketchy. Once the film gets going, though, it becomes even less clear, because the core values of the film, not that they are perfectly executed, are righteous and good ones. These values are plainly 'help they fellow human being', 'live a good and decent life', and 'tend to the earth'. Morals all, it would seem, that would be obscured by two things: the "Everything's hotter" tagline and the images of a woman in chains, and that's with even avoiding venturing into the symbolic racial tensions conjured up by images of a man of African descent chaining up a woman of Northern European descent. Had the marketing pitch been directed toward the good values of the film would it have not sold?
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In any case, the basic plot, which isn't basic at all, starts off introducing Rae (Christina Ricci) a labeled nymphomaniac who, upon failing to convince her shell-shocked boyfriend, Ronnie (Justin Timberlake), to stay with her rather than go off into the military, decides he must not really love her, and she's pretty darn unlovable marching about town in a too closely cropped Civil War t-shirt, tiny cutoff jean shorts, and cowboy boots looking like a hardened young woman on the prowl for her latest fix of drugs or sex. So, what does she do but plan a binge of fooling around again with anyone and everyone willing and eager. Meanwhile, there's Lazarus (Samuel L. Jackson) who's wife of 12 years has just left him for a man that makes her feel alive again, Lazarus's younger brother in fact. Only his best friend, R.L. (John Cothran, Jr.) keeps his mind at ease and lets him know he's still beloved by the community. His talents run thick from growing the best butter beans in the county to strumming out soulful blues on his electric and acoustic guitars. As the Lord works in mysterious ways, Rae is given drugs, given too much to drink, beaten and left for dead on the side of the road by one of Ronnie's supposed best friends. And, who should happen upon her the next morning? Yep, Laz, who then takes her into his home, cleans her up, and seeks information as to the culprits. What he learns about town is that this woman has a scandalous reputation. Who better to set her right? Lax "aims to fix her". So, he chains her up like an animal on a leash, and sets about trying to bring the good in her back to the surface. Here is where things start to get a little complicated for Laz for no sooner does he make this commitment to this very unwilling subject, but he's put himself in a possible heap of trouble if people find out what he's done and that he's holding a woman captive in his home.
"…Black Snake Moan should not be confused with a Snakes on a Plane sequel."
Again, upon reflecting on this story, Boxing Helena keeps coming to mind. It seems like there was a germ of an interesting idea for a twisty plot, but really the idea is not quite compelling enough to warrant the full treatment of a major motion picture. The worse thing with Black Snake Moan, so called after the painful hunger of love, is that there is insufficient background provided until too late for the forging of bonds of interest or care in the central characters. What happens to Rae? For far too long, she comes across, unfortunately, as a young woman who goes out of her way to get into trouble. The deeper psychological underpinnings of her character and her relationship with Ronnie are held too close to the vest for too long. Meanwhile, though clearly Laz is seeking redemption through helping Rae and reinvigorating her sense of self and dignity, his motivations are equally skewed leaving one scratching one's head as to what is going on and why. There are also a number of odd scenes, notably a drawn out one where Laz takes an on-the-way-recovery Rae to his favorite watering hole to listen to him play the blues. This scene carries on far too long and seems counter to all that Laz has been dutifully working to accomplish with her. If this was a step to prove to her that she could be in a bar, have fun, be treated well, and not continue with her "wicked ways", it could have been accomplished other ways without so much grandiose attention to Samuel L. Jackson's guitar skills.
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There is no shortage of real depth to these characters, it's just that the measured doses of their depth take too long to give out such that, when they finally arrive, most relevance has been compromised. Finally, it cannot go unnoticed that Justin Timberlake is pictured prominently in any of the posters. Nor was he mentioned in the trailer. For a while, it was hard to reconcile that it really was him in the film. Unfortunately, he suffered from similar issues he found in trying to play his role in Alpha Dog. He tries to hard not to be Justin Timberlake that he ends up looking like Justin Timberlake over-acting. There's little doubt that, when he happens upon a character that is just right for him, one that suits him perfectly, maybe in 5-7 years, it will work. Right now, he's not quite there. Probably the gem of the cast is the effervescent and lovely, long-time "Law & Order" Lieutenant S. Epatha Merkerson who plays the town pharmacist and new love prospect for Laz. Would somebody please write a movie just for her? Her talent's been barely tapped in her long-running role, but it's obvious here that she's more than ready for her own film. In summary, Black Snake Moan should not be confused with a Snakes on a Plane sequel. There was a good central premise for the film that was insufficiently well-conceived to warrant a full movie treatment. The acting by most of the cast was very good, while the dialogue and story points were not quite there.
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
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Other Projects Featuring Black Snake Moan (2007)
Cast Members
Samuel L. Jackson
• Christina Ricci • Justin TimberlakeS. Epatha Merkerson
• John Cothran Jr.Writer / Director
Craig Brewer
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Black Snake Moan (2007) Review-lite [150-word cap]
After seeing this, Samuel L. Jackson's second film in a row featuring a snake in the title, the latter albeit a metaphor, nonetheless, a word of advice: don't eagerly sign up for films featuring snakes in the title. To be fair, Black Snake Moan, Hustle and Flow's Craig Brewer's new film never should have been given to certain marketers. The ad campaign from the trailer to the poster all emphasize two things: "EVERYTHING IS HOTTER DOWN SOUTH" and Christina Ricci's character locked up in chains by Samuel L. Jackson's character. Neither gives much idea what the film's about, though images of Boxing Helena may pop up. Black Snake Moan should not be confused with a Snakes on a Plane sequel. A good central premise for the film failed to cancel out an insufficiently well-conceived plot. The acting was quite good, while the dialogue and story points were not quite there.
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