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Brewer's relationship with music is such that a new creative process is never too far off. "It really begins with me riding around in my car, or hanging out in my house, and blaring music, and then these images start coming to me," he said.
The result this time was "Black Snake Moan," an over-the-top story (or, as Brewer described it, a "southern fable") about faith, redemption, love and the blues, which despite propensities for nymphomania and profanity, deftly strikes the correct emotional notes with characters that you can legitimately care about.
Rae (Christina Ricci, "Monster"), is a southern belle gone astray after a troubled childhood. When her boyfriend Ronnie (Justin Timberlake) leaves for the army, yet another piece of her life falls out of place, and she fills this void by having raunchy sex with lots and lots of men-folk.
After a particularly debauched night, Rae is found passed out in a ditch by Lazarus, played by Samuel L. Jackson. Lazarus is a kind man with a worn soul, who clearly seeks to reform his own hard-knock past, and by taking Rae into his home Jackson brings his "good shepherd" persona full circle from "Pulp Fiction" - it's Ezekiel 25:17 truly personified.
When Rae eventually comes to, she's impossible to control, so Lazarus does what any God-fearing man might do, and chains her to his radiator. It's, um, a little weird, but then again, so is the fact that Rae mounts just about anything with a Y-chromosome. You live with it, as Lazarus learns to live with this wild-child, and with a little help from his guitar, slowly comes to terms with his recent divorce and the new child-like figure in his life.
The title refers to the powerful wail of Lazarus' guitar and his heavy hearted voice, the sound of both recalling the torment of love and loss. It's powerful stuff. The first time Lazarus plays for Rae, in the midst of a thunderstorm, you understand what "lighting in a bottle" really means.
