The Rage in Placid Lake (2003)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

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:

Yellow Envelope

'The Rage in Placid Lake' is a gem.

I can't believe I didn't hear about this film when it was released. I must have missed The Movie Show that particular week. I saw the DVD on the shelf of my local video shop, while it was in the New Releases section. I saw the cover, loved the word-play in the title, and, thinking it was American, I told myself I would get it out when it gets moved to the weekly section.

I saw it, in the weekly section, some time later, and I read the blurb on the back and thought, 'that sounds really interesting, I'll get it out someday'. Then last week, I picked it up again, and noticed the Australian Film Finance Corporation named on the back. I was in. I hired it, took it home, and loved every minute.

From the first scene, 'The Rage in Placid Lake' sets itself up to be taken only semi-seriously. The parents of Placid Lake, our hero, are, as his name would suggest, extreme New Agers. We first meet Placid at primary school, where his mother drops him off in a dress, admonishing him to challenge the other children's pre-conceived notions of sexuality. Between flashbacks to his childhood, the film follows Placid's transition from school to work, which is fraught with stresses. Having failed to achieve happiness following his parents' advice, Placid takes a new tack: he gets his hair cut like George W. Bush, buys a suit, and lands a job with an insurance company. All of which is most distressing to his best friend Gemma, and his parents, who go to great lengths to shake him out of this Capitalist madness.

Writer and Director Tony McNamara has worked primarily in theatre, and has also written for television, including Southern Star's magnificent 'The Secret Life of Us'. His background in the theatre, however, lends this film a very intimate and human touch. He had originally thought of this story as a play, but rightly judged it to be more suited to film, and made adjustments accordingly. The result is a film that stands out as something fresh, something that takes old ideas and stereotypes, and employs them to great effect.

While the characters in this film can be described as caricatures, Placid's journey into adulthood—his discovery of himself and of his relationships—resonates with such humanity that the suspension of disbelief is no effort. The pathos with which the characters are written boldly emphasises McNamara's assertion that we must be true to ourselves.

The most remarkable aspect of this film, however, remains the sad fact that so few people have seen it or even heard about it. It is an example of the magnificent films being produced in this country, and highlights the miserable plight of Australian filmmakers, overshadowed by the monstrous marketing ploys of their American counterparts. 'The Rage in Placid Lake' may not quite be as noteworthy in the history of Australian film as 'Jedda' or 'Mad Max' or 'Romper Stomper', but it makes a profound statement about humanity that sits somewhat uncomfortably in a world of Free Trade Agreements and 'Wars on Terror'. What's more, it makes that statement beautifully.