Watched it yesterday, well, what a strange one.

I was very much looking forward to it (not just because of the prospect of Christina Ricci half naked for much of the film), and while it didnt match my expectations, it took an altogether different route than I expected. If you like the blues, youll enjoy this film as it is a continuing theme throughout. Im going to hunt out the soundtrack to it.

Set in the American south, S. L. Jackson plays Lazarus, a bad mofo blues guitar player whos wife has just left him and hes headed for rock bottom. The lovely Miss Ricci plays Rae, an abused girl that has flashbacks to her attacks that send her wild. Justin Timberlake - in reasonable acting shocker - plays her boyfriend, who is leaving to join the military. His involvement in the film is less, but crucial.

From the start the characters briefly introduced and it doesnt take long to get a feel for them, such is the quality of the acting. It would be easy to label Riccis Rae as a nymphomaniac but that would sidestep the whole point of the film, which as it progresses shows how Lazarus and Rae come together to try and fight their problems, with the blues subtext running throughout. By the end of the film I realised I had enjoyed it, but cant pin down exactly why, as while everything works itself out there is still a melancholy edge left, I felt.

Suffice to say I enjoyed it and I would recommend it, but be prepared to put some thought into it as its not a two hour action fest. Then youll get something out of it and enjoy it too.


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