The Snake (2008)

The director sent me a screening copy of this, his premiere movie, set in San Francisco. Although The Snake's subject matter and lead character may make it a difficult movie to stomach for some, I appreciated it and would recommend it to indie film fans who enjoyed Film Geek or Lost in Oblivion. Adam Goldstein as a scuzzier Steve Buscemi is the perpetual horndog "Ken" (real name David). After being kidded for being a "chubby chaser" during his nightly predatory rounds at the closest watering hole, he takes to stalking a bulimic girl by worming his way into her body image support group at the local women's center. Try to imagine a chauvinistic pig with the gall to not only lie straight-faced to a half-dozen scarred women in emotional recovery but to slyly manipulate each one's weakness and then play them off each other -- or just watch this guy at work -- and he only goes downhill from there. This man is pure slime -- but slippery slime, always weaseling out of every new way he gives you to hate him. The ending was sudden and a puzzler, however, if I understood it then I think he did the right thing. 3.5 stars.