In a small Tennessee town, two unlikely souls are about to be lured together at the sticky crossroads between rage and love. Found lying on the side of the road, beaten and nearly dead, is Rae (Christina Ricci), a 22 year old who has developed a reputation around town for having an insatiable "itch" for sex. Her rescuer is Lazarus (Samuel L. Jackson), an ex-blues guitarist who has grown used to life’s relentless strains of trouble and sorrow. Desperate for a change himself, Lazarus holds Rae prisoner, and sets out to "cure" her of her wicked ways. But to get to the deep, dark bottom of Rae’s mystery, Lazarus will first have to face the demons that reside in both their hearts, especially when Rae’s one true love Ronnie (Justin Timberlake), a Guardsman who was supposed to be headed for Iraq, comes looking for her.