THE RAGE IN PLACID LAKE Rating: (out of 5 stars) Director: Tony McNamara Producer: Marian Macgowan Writer: Tony McNamara Director of Photography: Ellery Ryan Cast: Ben Lee, Rose Byrne, Miranda Richardson, Garry McDonald, Nicholas Hammond Visit the IMDB page for full cast and crew

(Read more 2003 AFI Film Festival reviews)

Review by: Warren Curry
11/16/03

Sporting an offbeat sense of humor and a disarming charm, writer/director Tony McNamara's The Rage in Placid Lake is a sweet tale about the importance of maintaining a sense of individuality in a highly homogeneous world. A bit in the vain of a film like Rushmore, The Rage in Placid Lake marks the screen debut of young Australian musician Ben Lee, who turns in a really likeable lead performance as the oddly named title character, Placid Lake. McNamara's film has a tendency to occasionally veer off track, but its strength is in always maintaining such a distinctive tone.

Destined to be the target of abuse since being sent to his first day of school in a dress courtesy of his hippie parents (Miranda Richardson and Garry McDonald), by high school Placid Lake's wit and creativity have managed to earn him a few friends, most notably Gemma (Rose Byrne), a kindred spirit of his since their days in elementary school together. Gemma's a brilliant, conservative science scholar and in many ways Placid is her opposite -- a free spirit prone to getting in all sorts of unusual trouble. The trouble becomes gravely serious when a revealing documentary film he's made (exposing the misdeeds of his fellow students, parents, teachers) leads to a freak accident that leaves Placid in the hospital, every bone in his body having been broken.

The accident is an epiphany for Placid -- he realizes that his life needs structure, so, when he recovers, he gets his hair cut like George W. Bush, buys a suit, and finds a job at Icarus Insurance agency, much to the chagrin of his self-absorbed, anti-establishment parents and Gemma. But the more Placid attempts to conform to the status quo -- he excels at his job and tries to smother any remaining traces of his personality -- the more he realizes that traditional modes of satisfaction aren't what will make him happy.

Ben Lee fits very comfortably into the role of Placid Lake. Lee's not so much a classically handsome man, but his unique look accentuates the eccentricities of the character. He exudes a natural charisma and makes an engaging focal point to the film. Rose Byrne is also a standout as the nerdy but still extremely attractive Gemma. Gemma and Placid's relatiohship, which always approaches romance but never quite gets there, is certainly on the cutesy tip, yet it works because the two characters are such oddballs and very well fleshed out. Lee's real-life girlfriend, Claire Danes, even shows up in an amusing cameo.

There is not much laugh-out-loud dialogue or hilarity in the situations, but the film's bright, completely unpretentious vibe brings a smile to your face. Usually a character like Placid would be chock full of snappy, overstated retorts (and there are a few, but they're kept to a minimum), however, McNamara doesn't outsmart himself. The film rolls along nicely, and directorially, McNamara is wise not to get in the way of his script and actors. The film isn't overtly stylistic, but it has an appealing look, thanks mainly to the production design and sharp, simple framing.

Like many films that have an understated grace, The Rage in Placid Lake's impact doesn't hit you until it ends. It's not a movie about attention-grabbing individual moments, but the scenes mesh smoothly and there's a warm undercurrent to the proceedings. The movie's crowd-pleasing earnestness is never a result of easy or obvious choices. Tony McNamara always stays true to his peculiar vision and treats his characters with a ton of affection; and that's what makes The Rage in Placid Lake such an easy film to enjoy.

(Screened at the 2003 AFI Film Festival.)

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