The Rage in Placid Lake

The Rage in Placid Lake
Directed byTony McNamara
Written byTony McNamara
Produced byMarian McGowan
StarringBen Lee
Rose Byrne
Miranda Richardson
Garry McDonald
Nicholas Hammond
CinematographyEllery Ryan
Edited byLee Smith
Music byCezary Skubiszewski
Release date
  • 2003 (2003)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
Box office$482,798

The Rage in Placid Lake is a 2003 Australian film starring Ben Lee and Rose Byrne. It features Placid Lake (Lee), a seventeen-year-old boy who has led a suburban hippie life with his neurotic, free loving parents. The film documents his journey of self-discovery as he rejects his hippie roots and embraces the mundane by working for an insurance agency, much to his parents' horror.

Plot

Precocious, bohemian teenager Placid Lake finishes high school, but after having an existential crisis devises a plan to totally reinvent himself as a functioning member of society. With a few weeks spent reading a library of self-help manuals, Lake gets a haircut, buys a bespoke suit, and finds a white collar job at an insurance agency. Lake has a smart friend Gemma (Rose Byrne) who tries to talk him out of his newly-found economic rationalism.

Lake is adamant about becoming an acceptable member of society and ignores the signs of disapproval from his parents and best friend. Yet, by continuing his venture to normality, Lake struggles with what to say, think, and wear due to his insecurity and neurosis.[1] Lake realizes that living to society's standards does not satisfy him as much as he had hoped. Eventually, this causes him to revert to his original personality and become content with who he is.

Cast

Box office

The Rage in Placid Lake grossed $482,798 at the box office in Australia.[2]

Reception

Based on 15 reviews collected by the film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 53% of critics gave The Rage in Placid Lake a positive review, with an average rating of 6.1/10.[3]

Awards

Award Category Subject Result
AACTA Award Best Film Marian McGowan Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay Tony McNamara Won
Best Actress Rose Byrne Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Miranda Richardson Nominated

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Rage in Placid Lake: Synopsis". guerilla-films.com. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  2. ^ "Film Victoria - Australian Films at the Australian Box Office" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
  3. ^ "The Rage in Placid Lake (2003)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 9 May 2012.


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