Have you ever watched It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and wondered to yourself what would happen to the gang if they didn’t have each other? Well, if you have, and your particular interest laid with what would happen to Sweet Dee, then Jenna MacMillan (Coastal Stories) has that answer for you with her feature debut in The Snake, having its world premiere in the Competition section of SXSW Film & TV Festival 2026, written by the leading woman, Susan Kent (Spinster), who’s also making her feature writing debut. While The Snake has nothing to do with the long running television show, there is no denying that the character traits, ideas, and schemes that Kent crafts throughout the picture are heavily inspired by and would be something featured on the show. And the character aligns incredibly well with the aforementioned Dee as there is nothing redeemable about her character here, and that is okay. It works for the movie. But, overall, the movie needed to be tightened up and have some other forces at work to create something to form a connection with the audience more than just the unlikable lead in dire situations doing terrible thing after terrible thing and trying to get her life together.
L-R: Susan Kent as Jamie and Daniel Petronijevic as Davey Danger in THE SNAKE. Photo courtesy of Club Red Productions.
The film focuses on Jamie (Susan Kent), a free lifestyle type of 40-something-year-old whose life is never anything but turbulent. She constantly is at her wits end and collides with her equally malfunctioning and rather poisonous mother, Anne (Robin Duke), and, after their latest spat, Jamie finds herself unemployed, alone, and homeless. This leads her to try and break into her grandmother’s home to declare ownership, have a constant run in with the police, try living with her wannabe musician ex-boyfriend who resides in his van, and even hooking up with her best friend’s husband. While every decision and choice that Jamie makes is another head-turning, head-shaking, despicable choice, there is something endlessly endearing about her irredeemable qualities. She’s not a good person in any way, shape, or form, but with everything thrown against her and the terrible decisions she makes, there is something, deep down, that just has you nearly cheering for her even though watching her fail is almost more entertaining, in a sadistic way.
There is something about Jenna MacMillan’s direction here that just stands out. This could’ve been made to feel like any other dark comedy about someone truly irredeemable that the audience couldn’t help but watch. It also could’ve been directed like a coming-of-age film because, despite being in her 40s, that’s how Jamie feels as a character, but it’s a blend between that reminiscent look of a coming-of-age and straight forward execution of a comedy that her skillful hand brings allowing audiences to not expect tropes or fall for them. This is also due to Susan Kent’s script; it keeps you guessing and wondering what horrible next thing Jamie is going to do, or what is going to happen to her. We’re taught that family is supposed to be thicker than blood, and through movies and life, sometimes we learn that is not the case, but the tumultuous relationship penned here leaves audiences realizing there are no good and bad people here — everyone is sort of terrible. The only innocent character throughout all of The Snake is the dog, and they certainly do not get enough screentime.
Presents the character of Jamie in a way that puts the audience into a weird catch-22 because, instinctually, we want to watch this character almost fail since she does some truly awful things, but, in reality, she is just trying to fight for survival and everyone is against her. It’s endearing in a weird way that is exemplified and honed in on by the earnestness that Kent brings both to the performance and the script.
Susan Kent as Jamie in THE SNAKE. Photo Credit: Justin Rix. Photo courtesy of SXSW.
The Snake boasts some strong direction that doesn’t allow genre pigeon-holing and a strong script and performance by Susan Kent, but the nature of the character despite the audience rooting for her just lacks a balance to have the audience fully committed. She is the only fleshed out character, aside from Anne, who never gets even close to a justified arc, and just following this character of unalterable qualities that cannot be saved and just wants to self-preserve becomes a slightly tiresome adventure. But the charisma brought to the forefront by Kent is what endures. Overall, The Snake proves that sometimes the slithering creatures are closer than they appear, take all forms, and are not just hiding in the tall grass.
Screening during SXSW Film & TV Festival 2026.
For more information, head to the official SXSW Film & TV Festival The Snake webpage.
Final Score: 3.5 out of 5.
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Categories: In Theaters, Reviews
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