In this tale of love, loss and faith, Academy Award Nominee Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith) and Christina Ricci (Sleepy Hollow) seek redemption through the power of the blues and the transcendence of an unlikely friendship.
Title: Black Snake Moan
Release: March 2, 2007
Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: R
Writer: Craig Brewer
Director: Craig Brewer
Music By: Scott Bomar
Produced By: Stephanie Allain & John Singleton
Distributed By: Paramount Vantage
Run Time: 117 minutes
Black Snake Moan is kind of the Hustle and Flow of blues (the writer and director; Craig Brewer, is the same for both movies) with a wonderful soundtrack. I genuinely liked this film. It was funny, the characters were unique, and it was all about broken people bonding together. The one thing I could have done without is the graphic sex. Black Snake Moan is rated R for a very good reason.
Lazarus is the best role that Samuel L. Jackson has played in a long time. He totally becomes the character so completely that you can’t even see where one starts and the other ends. The same thing goes for Christina Ricci (Rae). I didn’t even recognize her! It took me until the movie was over and I was watching the Conflicted: The Making of Black Snake Moan to realize who she was. Yes, that chain she lugs around for a good bit of the movie is real. Justin Timberlake is also in the movie as Rae's boyfriend Ronnie and he's a surprisingly good actor too.You’ll either love the movie or just not care for it but there is no way that you can ignore the music from it. Especially the title song! Craig Brewer said that even though some people are going to think it’s his “gimmick” he plans on making other films in the same vein (Hustle and Flow = rap, Black Snake Moan = blues). Next up country?
~ The DVD doesn't have much in the way of special features just a "Making Of" documentary, Rooted in the Blues (studio recording session) featurette, some really good deleted scenes, and a photo gallery. Oh and of course a commentary, but I hardly (if ever) watch those.
Find Black Snake Moan Online
Trailer:
Stack-o-Lee (unedited version here):
UnScripted:
Related Reviews
Samuel L. Jackson- Lazarus
Jumper (2008)- Roland
Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995)- Zeus Carver
Jurassic Park (1993)- Ray Arnold
John Cothran Jr.- Reverend R. L.
Kiss the Girls (1997)- FBI Agent at Lair
I have this movie sitting on my TV right now from Blockbuster Online. I really want to watch it but my wife hates Christina Ricci and refuses to watch. Gotta find the time to get it in.
ReplyDeleteYou don't even realize it's her. I normally don't like her either.
ReplyDeleteAlmost 2 years later I'm commenting on this again. :-)
ReplyDeleteFor the record, I did actually watch this several months after I left the comment above and I did not like the movie. I don't know what I expected but I just couldn't get into the story. It lost me halfway through.
:-(