“Black Snake Moan” will have you thinking for days.

And, if you consider it, isn’t that the best compliment you can give a film? There’s no higher purpose to filmmaking than to create a film that leaves an impact on an audience, whether it be good or bad. The filmmakers who truly fail at filmmaking aren’t the ones who make horrible, awful, bad movies – the failures are the ones who make forgettable films, films that you can’t remember even a piece of dialogue from the instant you leave the theatre.

Luckily for you, and for director Craig Brewer, (“Hustle and Flow”), “Black Snake Moan” is neither bad nor forgettable. It is a testament to incredible character development and will etch itself into your memory.

“Black Snake Moan” doesn’t have much of a plot to recount. That’s because “Black Snake Moan” doesn’t really tell a story so much as it gives its audience a glimpse into the brief time in which two flawed individuals cross each others’ paths and change each other for the better.

Rae (Christina Ricci) is essentially a nymphomaniac whose urges are only kept under control by having her boyfriend Ronnie (Justin Timberlake) around. But when Ronnie ships off for a tour with the Army, Rae’s wild side roars to life. After being beaten and left for dead on the side of a country road, she is found and nursed back to health by Lazarus (Samuel L. Jackson), a farming bluesman with demons of his own in regards to his wife who abandoned him.

With the help of love, a 40-pound chain, and Lazarus’ preacher friend (John Cothran Jr.), Rae and Lazarus profoundly improve each others’ lives.

That may sound saccharine, but “Black Snake Moan” is anything but sweet. It’s dark, sad and funny all at the same time.

Each actor is at the top of his or her form in “Black Snake Moan.”

Samuel L. Jackson steals the show with his performance as Lazarus, a fact you can tell just from watching trailers for the film. The way Jackson conveys heartache, pity, and stoicism all at the same time is a marvel for anyone to behold.

Christina Ricci, a less-experienced veteran of film than Jackson, gives a performance rivaling his. Gone is the little girl from “The Addams Family” or “Now and Then.” Ricci proves herself as an actress in her performance as the sexy, manic and flawed Rae. One particular scene in which Rae confronts her estranged mother about her sexual abuse as a child is harrowing to watch and masterfully acted.

Now, you had better sit down for this. Ready? Justin Timberlake is a good actor. Seriously. He’s strangely engaging as Ronnie, the young man unable to fight for his country or his girlfriend. When Timberlake is supposed to be acting tough, he’s very intimidating. When he’s supposed to be torn, he’s devastating. Timberlake turns what could easily have been a one-note performance into a sympathetic and vulnerable character. That’s pretty solid for a former boy-band member.

The actors aren’t the only contributing factor to the film’s greatness. The inspired directing of Craig Brewer is yet another step toward becoming a Hollywood go-to director, especially after his turn directing last year’s Oscar-nominated “Hustle and Flow.”

The art direction and setting is also fantastic, as it conveys a grittiness and distinct Southern charm that is an underlying theme in the film.

The music is also a wonder to hear. It’s a staple of the movie – an obvious statement when you consider the film’s title. “Black Snake Moan” is the title of a song recorded by Blind Lemon Jefferson in the 1920s as the blues genre took form. Samuel L. Jackson’s character is a bluesman through and through. Any scene where a guitar is placed in Jackson’s capable hands is pure cinematic magic. Whether the music moves every sweaty patron in a local bar to dance or causes a change in Rae’s outlook on life, the blues and jazz are hugely apparent themes in the film.

“Black Snake Moan” should be held up to other filmmakers to explain what character development truly is and how it should be done. The film is entertaining and inspiring (but not in that little-girl-and-her-horse-movie way). “Black Snake Moan” is absolutely more than you might expect it to be.