by Volecia Plafcan

Created on: July 21, 2009

Black Snake Moan takes place in a small town in Tennessee.

Rae (Christina Ricci), is the teenage, nymphomanic, white trash, town slut. She was not raised on love and understanding while growing up. She was raised by her father sexually molesting her and her mother verbally abusing her, repeatedly telling Rae how she wished she had aborted her.

Ronnie (Justin Timberlake) is her boyfriend who fulfills all Rae's 'cravings' but, he has to report to his National Guard unit and will have to leave town for a while.

After he has boarded his bus, Rae has a 'spell' and goes off in search of fulfillment. She ends up at a party doing drugs and drinking. It progresses to the point of Rae being drugged and beaten almost to death by Gill, Ronnie's best friend, when Rae laughs at his advances. Her lifeless body is thrown by the side of the road near Lazarus' (Samuel L. Jackson) farmhouse.

Lazarus, a former blues musician and devout Christian, makes a living by truck farming. He finds her the next day and brings her home with him although his wife has just left him and he is in a personal crisis of his own.

Rae is in another world, brought on by the drugs and the beatings for a couple of days.

Lazarus gives Rae medicine and nurses her but, he knows about her being the person she is and does not accommodate her at all. However, he is determined to keep Rae off drugs, etc. to the point of chaining her so she can't escape.

While Rae is at the farmhouse, Lazarus teaches her blues music and gives her some fatherly advice.

Ronnie returns, after being medically discharged for his anxiety problem. Gill tells him that Rae had been unfaithful while he was gone and Ronnie smacks Gill and takes his truck to look for her. He finds her, but, misunderstands the relationship of Rae and Lazarus and threatens to kill him.

Lazarus calms him down enough that they call the minister and Rae and Ronnie are married.

Lazarus begins a relationship with the local pharmacist who helps him find medicine for Rae when she is sick.

This is a very unusual movie. It has a lot of sex (simulated), Rae is dressed in skimpy clothes throughout most of the movie and there are images of men's rears, but, I enjoyed watching it. It was nominated in 2007 for Teen Choice Award.

Black Snake Moan was written and directed by Craig Brewer. The title of the film derives from the 1927 song 'Blind Lemon Jefferson' while the film is based loosely on George Eliot's 1861 "Silas Marner".

Things are always hotter in the South.......

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