THE RAGE IN PLACID LAKE

Australia, 2003, 90 minutes, Colour.
Ben Lee, Rose Byrne, Garry Mc Donald, Miranda Richardson, Christopher Stollery, Francis Mc Mahon, Nicholas Hammond, Saskia Smith.
Directed by Tony Mc Namara.

This is what many commentators like to call a quirky little Australian comedy. It is humorous, has eccentric characters, eccentric interactions.

The focus is on a young man, Placid Lake, who decides that the important thing for him to do in his life is to be conventional. The film, therefore, is one of the generation gap, insofar as his parents are still living a way-out kind of life, interested in their professions, certainly advocating social protest against all authority. The comedy is in Placid trying to find his way, surfacing his resentment against his parents as well as the parents trying to deal with this seemingly recalcitrant son. The parents are played by Gary Mc Donald, echoes of his Norman Gunston character, and British actress Miranda Richardson. Placid himself is played by Ben Lee. Rose Byrne appears as his love interest and support.

The film is directed and written by first-time director Tony Mc Namara. It appeared in 2003, somewhat after the vogue for quirky comedies and in a year that was not an outstanding one in the Australian film industry. It therefore stood out as a film of better quality than average in this year.

1. Another quirky Australian comedy? It universal appeal?

2. An urban comedy, the family home, the school and the schoolyards, the classrooms, the insurance workplace? The touches of the exotic with reference to Tuvalu and the videos?

3. The title, the psychological dimensions of Placid Lake's anger? The final song and its lyrics (composed and sung by Ben Lee)?

4. The narrative thrust of the film: Placid and his doing the voice-over, trying to understand himself, his parents? The 20th century - and the 60s "let it be" kinds of parents? The later decades, growing ambitions - and the quest for being anonymous and ordinary?

5. The prologue and the family putting Placid in the dress and sending him to school? People bashing him? His mother in Tuvalu, making documentaries? The absences? His father and the group therapy, as a disc jockey? Never angry, very anxious, nice but unreal? Not communicating well to Placid? Their talking about sexuality - and using Placid as a mediator to talk to each other? The film and Placid's expose of them? His mother's lesbian moment? Their not culturally sensitive - especially in Tuvalu, ignorant of languages? Their horror at his getting the insurance job, his mother finding him in the suit in the shed? His final confrontation with them as ineffectual parents? Going with them and attacking the three bullies? Their loving him and a reconciliation, hope for a creative future?

6. Placid, at school, his age, the final year? His long friendship with Gemma and his remembering it, describing her and her IQ? The platonic friendship? The three bullies at school, his continually mocking and challenging them, smart remarks? The talk with the girl about sexual encounters and his charming her and her response? His decision to win the film competition, the Super-Dooper? film and the parody of niceness in a school? Showing his real video and its exposes to family and parents and teachers? The reactions, the bullies chasing him to the roof, throwing him off?

7. Placid in hospital, its effect? His decision when he got better to become ordinary, the haircut, the suit, applying for the insurance job, the interview with Joel? Joel in his niceness and recognising when Placid was putting it over him? The friendship with Joel? The comparisons with Anton and his wanting to be Fast Tracked? Joel putting Placid on the Fast Track? Jane, working with him, her attitude towards sexuality, anonymous? Her admiration then as Placid became more important? The confrontation by Anton with the gun?

8. Gemma, a studious young woman, her IQ, interest in science, the pressures from her father? The platonic relationship with Placid and their discussions? Her expedition, coming to the hospital? Her suspicions about his job? Her wanting to break out - and inviting the young man over (whom Placid had earlier made believe that Gemma liked him to strip and to act as a dog and whom she put outside)? The change in her, going to the university, feeling sick at university, wanting to opt out? Her own decision about her love for chemistry?

9. The three bullies, the types, the military father, being outed - but it not stopping him bashing Placid? Later, with Placid at work, their disbelief? Finally the parents and Placid attacking them?

10. Gemma and her change, Placid and the meeting of executives, his story, Anton and the gun, Joel and his ulcer - and his backing out?

11. The confrontation at home, telling his parents they were terrible parents, their listening to him and responding? Placid and Gemma happily ever after?

12. The qualities of quirky Australian comedies, in terms of eccentric characters, situations, verbal and visual humour? The message that one should be creative and real?