Film Review: THE SNAKE: Susan Kent Writes and Stars In a Quirky Tale That Has Its Humorous Moments [SXSW 2026]

The Snake Review

The Snake (2026) Film Review from the 33rd Annual South by South West Film Festival, a movie directed by Jenna MacMillan, written by Susan Kent and starring Susan Kent, Jonathan Torrens, Robin Duke, Dan Petronijevic, Emma Hunter, Kim Roberts, Jimbo, Jacqueline Robbins and Joyce Robbins.

Director Jenna MacMillan brings a zany script by Susan Kent to life in The Snake which also stars Kent in the film’s principal role. Kent is a breath of fresh energy in a movie that sells her character short in the opening stages of the film as it tries to make us believe that Kent’s character, Jamie, needs to settle for a guy who doesn’t want to settle down named Davey Danger (Dan Petronijevic). The Snake is essentially about the transformation of Jamie from a woman who didn’t ever want to grow up to a woman who is more sure of herself and who knows what she needs to survive and thrive in her life. Kent’s script sells Jamie a tad short at the start by making her too quirky at the beginning instead of presenting her as someone who just needs a push in the right direction. Jamie is a slim woman, in her 40’s (most likely) who has blonde hair and tattoos and relies on fantasies that don’t have much chance of turning into substantial realities. She’s one of the most memorable characters in independent cinema so far this year.

The Snake explores Jamie’s interactions with her friends, Steve (Jonathan Torrens) and Laura (Emma Hunter), at the beginning. These confidantes give Jamie advice even though Steve isn’t doing so well professionally speaking these days. Laura is thriving, though. Jamie’s mom, Anne (Robin Duke), gives her daughter a hard time and doesn’t take Jamie seriously enough. When Jamie is left trying to find a new home for herself, she settles in with her friends. Through a series of events, Steve ends up getting handcuffed and things don’t necessarily work out in the best way possible for Jamie to thrive in her life.

Jamie searches for the will to the home that her mother occupies in an effort to prove that the house could belong to Jamie, herself. This creates tension between Jamie and Anne that is resolved in a sort of haphazard way that brings the movie to a rather pat, but effective, conclusion. It’s the stuff in-between, though, that really keeps the viewer interested as Jamie learns how to be an adult through the situations she faces in the picture. Kent is fascinating in the role as she tries to make others take interest in her and strives to live her life by taking the bull by the horns, so to speak, in order to live the life she so rightfully deserves. Kent has some really challenging scenes that she handles delicately such as when she starts to see things in a whole new light regarding the people surrounding her in her life who she’s accepted throughout the years. She soon begins seeing past some of their flaws, including those flaws of her own mother.

Torrens and Hunter are solid in their roles. Hunter, as the wife who did pretty well for herself, is a particular standout in the cast as Hunter’s Laura is believable and often charismatic throughout. Torrens plays his role accordingly and is the most challenging character in the movie. His scenes with Kent are both interesting and enjoyable even if their relationship doesn’t go anywhere particularly groundbreaking with its ultimate resolve.

Duke is terrific as the mother who tries to inject common sense into Jamie in a way that every parent probably wouldn’t approve of. Duke brings considerable depth to the part, adding a different side to her character that makes us understand why she wants things to work out a certain way for much of the plot that is contradictory to Jamie’s best interests. Duke more than shines in this cast full of talent with a turn with an edge.

Finally, Petronijevic shines as the small town loser who tries to get what he wants from Jamie without taking her feelings and needs into consideration. If Kent is the heart of the movie, Petronijevic helps the viewer realize Jamie’s world realistically and the reasoning behind the poor decisions she makes early on. Davey Danger hoodwinks her for a while, but Jamie grows as a character and the audience may enjoy the results immensely.

The Snake has some scenes which play a bit flat in the final analysis, though. Some of the sequences feel like they could benefit from extra takes that the budget probably didn’t allow for. At the end, as Jamie finds it necessary to pair her mom with a dog, we see how Jamie makes it through the slumps in her life and how she becomes hopeful for her future which could be brighter after the credits roll. That’s what the audience wants because Kent is an excellent actress who makes Jamie a three-dimensional character even when the script tries to dumb her down to fulfill its wild and zany plot points.

Rating: 6.5/10

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