Samuel L. Jackson Shines in Black Snake Moan

Review of Black Snake Moan

This review is for one of those movies that when I saw it the first time I said I would see it again. Well, I did exactly that—saw it again. A few years had elapsed since my first viewing of the film so I had forgotten much of the plot (My memory isn’t what it used to be), but upon seeing it again, I agree with my initial review: Black Snake Moan is a definite See-Again movie.  

Review of Black Snake Moan, Starring Samuel L. Jackson

Released in 2007, Black Snake Moan was both written and directed by the quite talented Mr. Craig Brewer and filmed in the Deep South, mainly the environs of Stanton, Tennessee (Wikipedia, 2014). A “little movie,” meaning the kind of movie that some people make the mistake of labeling “artsy” or “pretentious,” Black Snake Moan earned the designation solely because it wasn’t a major box-office draw. And why wasn’t it a magnet for audiences? Well, it’s probably not only because the movie has a script that is literate and intelligent, but also because it does not contain any gratuitous violence, profanity, nudity, or computer-generated special effects. In other words, this “little movie” was not a box-office draw because it did not appeal to Hollywood’s target audience—namely testosterone-laden 14-to-17-year-old adolescent males with noodles for brains—even though Christian Ricci spends a good bit of time running around in skimpy underwear.

Samuel L. Jackson plays Lazarus Woods, a god-fearing man who is determined to lead Rae Doole, a young, worldly, head-strong nymphomaniac played by Christina Ricci, down the pathway of righteousness to a far better life than the one she has been living—even if he literally has to drag her kicking and screaming all the way. 

Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci

Although Jackson is always extremely watchable, in this film, he literally shines. In fact, Jackson proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is one of the finest actors in Hollywood today, right up there with Morgan Freeman, because, not for one single moment, do you, the viewer, ever think, “Hey, I’m watching Samuel L. Jackson act.” Instead, you believe, and never doubt for a moment, that Jackson is Lazarus Woods; and the ability to make the audience believe you are someone else is the hallmark of a great actor. Ricci, on the other hand, never once lets you forget you are watching Christina Ricci pretend to be someone she isn’t. You know it from the first moment she enters the film, and although she’s fun to watch, you never once mistake Ricci for anyone other than who she is, and that is Christiana Ricci acting like Rae Doole.

Samuel L. Jackson in Black Snake Moan

Ricci’s performance aside, this movie is a must-see film for anyone who likes a good story, enjoys quality cinematography, and appreciates seeing a real actor act. Plus, Samuel L. Jackson plays the guitar and sings the Blues. Now what more could anyone ask for in a film?

Rating: See again—and again and again if I live long enough.  

Source:

Wikipedia (2009) Black Snake Moan; para. 1; retrieved March 16, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Snake_Moan_(film)