“Caught that woman cheating …” Laz Redd (Samuel L. Jackson), a farmer, has lost his wife Rose – “I don’t love you no more” – to his younger brother Deke, with whom he nearly reenacts Cain’s slaying of Abel. Ronnie (Justin Timberlake) ships out with the Army, leaving his girlfriend, Rae Doole (Christina Ricci), behind. Not long after Ronnie’s departure, unable to resist the urge, Rae, with her reputation as a high-school slut, engages in sex, drugs, and alcohol. But when she insults Ronnie’s buddy Gill, he beats her and leaves her lying unconscious in the road where Laz finds her scantily dressed and carries her to his humble abode.

After she regains consciousness, Laz tries to assure her that he means her no harm, only wanting to help her get well. He gets medicine for her cough, nurses her through a fever, but in order to prevent her from running off – “I know you got more in you than filth” – he chains Rae to his radiator. Against her protestations, Laz tells her: “God seen fit to put you in my path” and that he intends to cure her of her wickedness – “Like Jesus said, I’m gonna suffer you.”

Young Lincoln James accidentally stops by while Laz is away and gets initiated into manhood. JL, the preacher, also learns of the half-naked white woman chained up and serves as a counselor. Encouraged by Rae’s recovery and efforts to regain her self-respect (her stepfather had sexually abused her as a child), Laz resumes his earlier renown as a blues singer at a local tavern.

But Ronnie also shows up after being discharged for severe anxiety from the military. “Black snake moan,” as expressed in one of Laz’s songs, refers to the evil of despair.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in video and/or DVD format, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2007 Patrick Ivers. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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