in black snake moan and writer director craig brewer be so obsessed with heavy symbolism that part of me felt like dismiss the entire film a pretentious a sweltering southern parable with some oh so risky subject matter . the movie also contain a heavy spiritual subtext where religion be be haul into the picture again and this be integrate without subtlety . after the darker open scene and the film increasingly blunt it edge until the entire production come off with the artificial quality of a stage play ( and i will admit and the last 15 minute go way too far into happy end territory for my liking ) . and that not to mention the archival footage of musician son house and ruminate on love and death ( and heavily foreshadow thing to come and of course ) . yet in a strange way and these demerit be also quality of black snake moan and the tale of age lazarus ( samuel l. jackson ) and recently dump by his wife ( for his brother and no less ) and who come across near death nympho rae ( christina ricci and easily give the hot portrayal of trailer trash on celluloid ever ) while nurse the girl back to health and he chain her to his radiator to overcome her demon and and hopefully redeem his own fall self . while there be a definite prurient appeal in watch ricci fall out of her skimpy outfit and her performance be risky and mature not a trace of wednesday addams to be find and and she easily hold her own with jackson and who personify the blue in his portrait of a flaw and god fear man . while heavy hand and the scene where lazarus sings rae a song in the midst of a lightning storm or blackout be compel and as be a scene inside a jumping blue club that make you wish you be there . the setting be strong and and a case can be make for the literal symbolism ( the chain and the radiator and the strange blurry man who haunt rae libido ) be a deliberate outgrowth of superstition and spirituality . and it be the conviction with which this spirituality be play that lend black snake moan much of it strength the committed performance of jackson and ricci make this a film that go from wrench to uplift with and well and seamless grace . while justin timberlake jealous lover be a plot contrivance i could have do without and neither he nor the sledgehammer subtlety can keep this from be a fascinatingly meditative film .