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"BLACK SNAKE MOAN"
(2007) (Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci) (R)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Heavy Heavy Extreme Mild Moderate
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Mild None None Heavy Extreme
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Extreme Heavy Moderate Heavy Heavy


QUICK TAKE:
Drama: When a farmer finds a young white woman beaten and unconscious, he sets out to save her from herself, by chaining her to his radiator so she must stop seeking solace in sex with strangers.
PLOT:
Upset when his wife leaves him, Lazarus (SAMUEL L. JACKSON) starts to drink heavily and literally sing the blues. But his sense of abandonment is nothing compared to Rae's (CHRISTINA RICCI), who is devastated when her National Guardsman boyfriend Ronnie (JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE) leaves for training, en route to Iraq. Though he says he's enlisted in order to secure their future, she fears he'll never come back. Worse, Rae suffers from a severe form of nymphomania, because (shadowy flashbacks insinuate) she was abused as a child. Now, when Rae is upset, she begins to shudder and moan, then seeks out the nearest man in order to have sex. While she has a regular tryst set up with Tehronne (DAVID BANNER), she runs into trouble when she meets a group of young men at a bar and drinks herself into oblivion. After they have sex with her on a football field, she gets a ride home from Ronnie's best friend Gill (MICHAEL RAYMOND JAMES), who beats her unconscious and leaves her on the road to die.

This is where Lazarus' and Rae's paths cross. He finds her the next morning at the end of his driveway, takes her inside, and decides to "cure" her. As she's unable to control her sexual urges, he reasons, her range of motion must be limited. And so Lazarus chains her to his radiator. Their time together -- several days -- involves fierce arguments, Rae's attempted escapes, some medicine (Lazarus gets a syrup from the local pharmacy, and flirts with Angela [S. EPATHA MERKERSON]), and Lazarus' singing. One night he takes her to a blues club where he performs and she drinks and dances very lewdly. Still, she's among people who mean her no harm, and so she comes to trust Lazarus, even to love him as a kind of father figure.

Ronnie comes home early, when the military discharges him (he has his own illness, meaning that he has panic attacks). Upon hearing that Rae has been abused and then, that she's living with a black man, he charges off in search of vengeance, against Gill and Lazarus.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
They might if they're fans of Ricci, Justin Timberlake, who has a supporting role, or if they like Samuel L. Jackson, who has a "cool" reputation among older teens.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R
For strong sexual content, language, some violence and drug use.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • SAMUEL L. JACKSON plays Lazarus, a farmer who becomes depressed and angry when his wife leaves him, then finds redemption in saving a young white woman from her own despair. He uses strong profanity, drinks, and smokes.
  • CHRISTINA RICCI plays Rae, despondent over her boyfriend's imminent deployment to Iraq. She uses profanity, engages in promiscuous sex and drinking, is horribly abused, and finds safety with a stranger who sings the blues.
  • JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE plays Ronnie, a National Guardsman unexpectedly found unfit and discharged; he returns to avenge his girlfriend's abuse.
  • S. EPATHA MERKERSON is Angela, a kindly pharmacy clerk who befriends Lazarus.
  • DAVID BANNER is Rae's occasional sex partner, a very rough character.
  • JOHN COTHRAN JR. is Lazarus' friend Reverend R. L., who advises him against keeping the girl chained up.
  • NEIMUS K. WILLIAMS plays Lazarus' young neighbor Lincoln, who learns some life lessons when he meets Rae.
  • MICHAEL RAYMOND JAMES plays Ronnie's best friend Gill, who tries to rape and then beats up Rae.
  • LEONARD L. THOMAS is Deke, Lazarus' brother, who steals his wife.
  • ADRIANE LENOX is Rose, who leaves Lazarus at the beginning of the movie.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
    Then read OUR TAKE of this film.


    (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).


    OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
    The following is a quick look at the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 26 "f" words, while other expletives and some colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue is present, as are various sexual encounters (with movement, nudity and sounds), including many young men having sex with a drunken/wasted young woman.

    She suffers from nymphomania, and she appears in various states of undress, most often showing breasts and torso. Characters are crude and abusive; a woman is badly beaten; a man threatens his brother with a broken beer bottle; another man threatens two with his gun. Characters smoke cigarettes frequently, and consume alcohol, marijuana, and pills. Tense family material and thematic elements are also present.

    If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.


    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • Tehronne talks about selling crack.
  • Lazarus drinks in a bar.
  • Girls, including Rae, drink beer in a bar. She also smokes a joint, then takes pills (she has been offered Oxycontin and Corecidin, but it's unclear which she takes).
  • Lazarus appears drunk in his house, staggering on his porch.
  • Lazarus goes to the local pharmacy for "syrup" to treat Rae's fever
  • Tehronne offers to sell Lazarus "some weed."
  • Ronnie drinks at a bar.
  • Ronnie and Gill drink at Gill's place.
  • Rae drinks from a mason jar of moonshine.
  • At a blues bar (called Bucket of Blood), Rae drinks, as do many patrons, including the reverend, who carries a flask.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • Ronnie, nervous about going to Iraq, vomits in a toilet while Rae soothes him.
  • A girl vomits in a bar.
  • Lazarus' hand appears bloody, after he's broken a bottle to threaten his brother.
  • Following her beating by Gill, Rae appears bloody and bruised; this appearance lasts for another hour into the movie, in various scenes.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • There are bad attitudes throughout the film, including Lazarus's rage at his brother for stealing his wife, Rae's anger and disappointment in Ronnie, Ronnie's distrust of Rae, Ronnie's intention to kill Lazarus, Gil beating Rae, and Lazarus essentially kidnapping Rae (although he does so to "help" her).
  • Lazarus' wife tells him she's leaving him in a café, where he yells at her and she dismisses him.
  • Boys treat and describe Rae as a "slut," including gang raping her while she's intoxicated and/or drugged to near unconsciousness.
  • Gill resents Ronnie's relationship with Rae, and accuses her of being promiscuous ("This thing you got, I hear you would f*ck a tree if it was handy. But that nigger Tehronne, that piece a sh*t. Having a black c*ck up in you").
  • Rae and the Reverend discuss religion. She says confession seems too easy ("You can't go around hurting people, then say you're sorry and it's okay"), while the Reverend voices his concern that too many people see Heaven as "an all you can eat buffet."
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • Scenes listed under "Violence" may be unsettling or suspenseful to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material.
  • It's disturbing to see Rae nearly unconscious while boys have sex with her, but it's not frightening per se.
  • Gill tries to rape Rae, then beats her instead (this occurs below frame, but sound effects suggest brutal pummeling); he leaves her limp, bloody body in the road and drives away.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • Handguns/Shotgun: Carried and/or used to threaten others. See "Violence" for details.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "M*therf*cker," "F*cker," "Sh*t-hole," "Piece of sh*t," "Little split tail," "Kiss my rebel cooch, you faggot," "School slut," "Nigger" (said by white and black characters) and "Stupid."
  • Some troubled girls may want to act like Rae, including sexually, as a means of seeming rebellious.
  • Although not that likely, it's possible some kids could try to imitate chaining up someone.
  • Rae has a tattoo on her shoulder.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • None.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • Lazarus sings a blues song about killing a man in vengeance and lyrics include at least four uses of "m*therf*cker."
  • A couple of the blues songs are sensuous in rhythm (demonstrated by people dancing on screen).
  • PROFANITY
  • At least 26 "f" words (5 used with "mother"), 34 "s" words, 3 slang terms for female genitals ("cooch," "p*ssy," and "little split tail"), 1 slang term for male genitals ("c*ck"), 5 asses (1 used with "hole"), 3 hells and 11 uses of "G-damn."
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • Rae and Ronnie appear having sweaty, desperate-looking sex in their first scene. Both are naked, and her breasts are visible, as is a tattoo on her shoulder.
  • When Ronnie leaves, Rae falls to the ground, moans, and starts writhing in a sexual manner.
  • Rae appears having doggy-style sex with Tehronne (with movement, sounds and views of her bare breasts).
  • The camera shows a close-up of Rae's belly as she walks into town, wearing a miniskirt, cut-off t-shirt, and boots.
  • Rae goes to the drug store to buy condoms, then tells a boy who stares at her to "Kiss my rebel cooch, you faggot."
  • Rae appears wearing only football shoulder pads and panties, amid a group of boys who have sex with and then leave her on the ground (we see them on top of her, as well as her breasts as she crawls away, plainly drunk/wasted - the act is seemingly consensual at first, but seems like rape after that).
  • Lazarus puts Rae in a tub, naked (we see her torso, including her bare breasts), as she's delirious, saying, "Get off me." He puts ice in the tub to break her fever, then sits nearby and reads the Bible.
  • Rae flashes back to sex with Ronnie (close-ups), then finds herself in Lazarus' cornfield.
  • Rae assaults Lincoln when he walks in the door, wrapping her legs around him and "seducing" him. The reverend then wonders why he has his "britches down round his knees."
  • The Reverend looks inside ands sees Rae half-naked (we see breasts) and warns Lazarus that she has "a whole mess of crabs and STDs."
  • Gill calls Rae the "school slut," then tells Ronnie, "You weren't gone two hours before she was achin' to get me up inside her."
  • Gill resents Ronnie's relationship with Rae, and accuses her of being promiscuous ("This thing you got, I hear you would f*ck a tree if it was handy. But that nigger Tehronne, that piece a sh*t. Having a black c*ck up in you").
  • Rae soaks in a tub while Lazarus washes her (we see the top of her shoulders and breasts).
  • While chained by Lazarus (in several scenes), we see various views of Rae in a cut-off T-shirt and panties.
  • Rae wears a short white wedding dress, and kisses Ronnie at the ceremony.
  • SMOKING
  • Rae smokes many times (20+), Lazarus smokes several times, and various miscellaneous characters smoke in bar scenes.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • Lazarus' wife tells him she's leaving him in a café, where he yells at her and she dismisses him.
  • Lazarus says about his wife, "I never laid a hand on her in anger," though she says, "God forgive you for what you done to me."
  • Angry that his wife Rose has left him, Lazarus runs down her roses with his tractor.
  • Rae flashes back to blurry abuse scenes several times. We then learn it was her stepfather who abused her.
  • Rae meets her mother in the market where the latter works, saying, "I just think you shoulda kept him off me is all."
  • Rae's mother says she's sorry for having had her.
  • Rae attacks her mother, screaming, with a broom.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • The blues as a cultural and historical form.
  • Nymphomania.
  • Anxiety attacks.
  • The apparent "reason" for Rae's sickness, namely, her abuse as a child.
  • Lazarus' method of "curing" Rae with the chain, washing her, feeding her, and singing to her.
  • VIOLENCE
  • Lazarus says about his wife, "I never laid a hand on her in anger," though she says, "God forgive you for what you done to me."
  • Angry that his wife Rose has left him, Lazarus runs down her roses with his tractor.
  • Lazarus attacks Deke in a bar and threatens him with a broken bottle.
  • Rae appears wearing only football shoulder pads and panties, amid a group of boys who have sex with and then leave her on the ground (we see them on top of her, as well as her breasts as she crawls away, plainly drunk/wasted - the act is seemingly consensual at first, but seems like rape after that).
  • Gill tries to rape Rae, then beats her instead (this occurs below frame, but sound effects suggest brutal pummeling). He leaves her limp, bloody body in the road and drives away.
  • Rae wakes on the couch and flashes back to her childhood with images of a blurry lighter, and a blurry man's form approaches in ominous way (suggesting violence).
  • Rae struggles against Lazarus when he puts her in the tub (she's delirious, and says repeatedly, "Get off me").
  • When Rae's loose in his cornfield, Lazarus catches and carries her back inside, while she screams.
  • Lazarus chains Rae to his radiator. She resists, running outside until she hits the end of the chain, at which point a loud sound marks her violent stop.
  • Rae kicks Lazarus.
  • After he's found Rae and Lincoln embracing, Lazarus kicks the boy off the porch.
  • Lazarus holds and cocks his shotgun on his porch, threatening the reverend not to come inside.
  • When Ronnie hears that Gill tried to have sex with Rae, he starts hitting and throwing Gill's furniture.
  • Gill and Ronnie fight furiously, punching and kicking. Ronnie pulls out a gun, then throws it and kicks Gill.
  • Rae attacks her mother, screaming, with a broom.



  • Reviewed February 26, 2007 / Posted March 2, 2007

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