Gillian Ashurst's films are generally characterised by fetishistic use of kitchy character images from sci-fi, the wild west and 1950s pin-ups. It's anchoring, but can come across as objectifying and seems to contribute to a lack of plot.
Snakeskin does not entirely diverge from the kitchy character theme but definitely has a tight plot with good momentum. The main characters are believably drawn, although they're not particularly likeable.
The acting in Snakeskin varies. Oliver Driver is brilliant in a challenging role as a skinhead. Melanie Lynskey tends to overact somewhat, and Dean O'Gorman at his best, although this is not saying much. The "comic relief" characters, the local ice-cream van drug vendors, are both annoying and extraneous to the plot.
There are some very well executed sequences and ideas, for example the grief caused to a family by a fatal car crash, the CGI section when one of the characters is tripping on LSD and a tender moment shared between a skinhead and women's underwear. These snipets in themselves give an idea as to the diverse tone of this film.
Snakeskin is an interesting development for Ashurst as a filmmaker, and worth a watch, although more in the sense of 'fun' than 'challenging'.
