The Rage in Placid Lake (2003)

Director:

Tony McNamara

Writer:

Tony McNamara (written by)

Release Date:

28 August 2003 (Australia)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Placid Lake isn't your usual rebel. He wants to work in insurance.

Plot:

An exuberant, sharply satirical comedy about two parentally neglected teenagers who find the courage to believe in themselves

Awards:

4 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Jordan Brooking	...	Young Placid
Ben Lee	...	Placid Lake
Rose Byrne	...	Gemma Taylor
Miranda Richardson	...	Sylvia Lake
Lucas Fraccaro	...	Bull (5 years old)
Cruise Moylan	...	Angus (5 years old)
Zan Cross	...	Lachie (5 years old)
Garry McDonald	...	Doug Lake
Eleeza Hooker	...	Young Gemma
Jesse Spence	...	Jenny
Simone Cullinan	...	Sharon
Socratis Otto	...	Bozo
Toby Schmitz	...	Bull
Nathaniel Dean	...	Lachie
Stephen James King	...	Angus

Runtime:

Australia:89 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-11 | Australia:M | UK:15 | Canada:14A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Sydney Central Business District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Australian Film Finance Corporation (AFFC)

Quotes:

[first lines]
Placid Lake: I try to find the positives in my experiences
Young Placid: [dressed in a frilly dress for his first day of school, and about to be pushed onto the playground by his hippie mother] Mummy, I *can't*.
Sylvia Lake: Darling, just remember you're challenging their pre-conceived notions of sexuality.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Getaway: Getaway to the Music (#16.36)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Naked

Coming of age flick with a twist

When Placid Lake was a little boy, his mother sent him to school wearing a dress, just so he could experience sexuality from a different point of view. As a result, he had the snot punched out of him and for years is constantly the victim of bullies, though he found a soul-mate in the nerdy/studious Gemma. Gemma loses her mother at 8 and her father, not quite sure how to deal with children, wants her to be a scientist. Years pass - Placid still lives with his Mum and Dad, ageing hippies with an eccentric outlook on the world and is about to finish school. Placid's idea of rebellion is to make a prize winning video of school life which will net him $10,000 and help him achieve his dream of fishing in Montana. At the official screening which turns out to be a little disasterous he falls from the school roof and undergoes a life change. This is a quirky "coming of age" flick - with a relatively unknown cast (to those outside Australia). Ben Lee in the title role is well cast as the slightly nerdy but intelligent Placid, Rose Byrne's Gemma is terrific and Garry McDonald and Miranda Richardson as Placid's hippy parents are brilliant. Take the time to see this film - it's worth it!