by Thomas Ferguson

Genius is a word I don’t throw around all that much. It’s because of that reason I find it strange to be saying it about a relatively new filmmaker. From pimps to pedophiles. From hookers to nymphomaniacs. Writer/director Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow) brilliantly shows what’s wrong with our society and some of the people in it. He does this by turning things around and showing that these people are merely lost souls looking for directions. Looking for what we all take for granted…hope.

In Black Snake Moan, two lost souls find each other in the most peculiar way. Samuel L. Jackson plays Lazarus, a God fearing former blues singer looking for peace in his upside down world. His wife has left him for his younger brother and though filled with rage and vengeance, he must channel that negative energy into something positive.

Rae (Christina Ricci), on the other hand, is the town wild girl. She has a sickness that stems from a childhood trauma. Whenever she feels her life spiraling out of control, she loses control. She must satisfy her pain with sex. Sex with anyone around. Everyone in Rae’s life has disappointed her and left her to fend for herself. Even her boyfriend Ronnie (Justin Timberlake) abandons her when he enlists in the military to fulfill his need to be patriotic.

Both Lazarus and Rae need special things. For Lazarus, it’s a desire to take care of a woman. He tried to do that with his wife, but it drove her away. For Rae, it’s the need for a father figure. One that respects her and treats her like she is special. What they need in life, they find in each other.

After a night of drinking and sex, Rae is driven to a secluded area, attacked, and left for dead. Lazarus finds her the next morning and eventually finds out about her disturbing past. He takes it upon himself to heal her. To save herself from herself. To do so, he chains Rae to a radiator and begins a detox process to heal her bruised body and soul. Unbeknownst to both, a special bond is formed that no one can understand, but most importantly, no one can break. Just like the chains around her waist.

I have three words to describe this movie. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! Black Snake Moan is truly the first great movie of the year. It is filled with amazing performances, witty dialogue, an intriguing story, and deep symbolism that points a mirror at our society. Showing what is wrong with the way we live and what’s right about it. The chains are a metaphor for how we use certain things and people to hold us back. When those chains are finally broken, we must make the decision to stay in the same life or to grow into a newer, better one.

When I heard about this film, I thought it was an odd choice of subject matter. I absolutely loved Brewer’s first major movie Hustle & Flow. It was so inspiring and thought provoking. Being able to capture that spirit again would be a huge undertaking. He did it! He got past the infamous sophomore slump with flying colors. Like I said earlier, I feel that Brewer is a genius. If he keeps this kind of filmmaking up, he might just become my new favorite filmmaker.