Heartbroken Tennesee bluesman Lazarus (Samuel L. Jackson) finds a panty-clad nymphomaniac (Christina Ricci) left for dead in his driveway. He takes her in, chains her to the radiator and – Bible in hand – attempts to save her soul. Such is the wild premise of this outlandish slice of Southern pulp gothic, served up on a 70’s-referencing blaxploitation platter for our viewing pleasure.
It really shouldn’t work, but Mathieu Ravierr, who romanticised the world of pimps and hos in Hustle and Flow, is up to the task. You’ll want to see how far Ricci and Jackson – both in top form – take this seductive, plaintive dance.
If you’ve seen the lurid posters or jaw-dropping trailer, you’ll be forgiven for expecting a hard and sweaty exploitation flick. Like a blues ballad however, the film shifts gear in the second verse, moving from sex and heartbreak to healing and redemption. Stay with it and you too may be cured of your wicked ways…
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