Suggestive of the title, the 2003 Australian film, The Rage in Placid Lake, is not a horror-flick, nor a teenage sex-romp. Though it contains elements of the latter, it is more than anything, a semi-serious coming-of-age story.

Placid Lake (Ben Lee) is different than your typical coming-of-age character. He is not an innocent kid suddenly struck with tragedy. Instead, Placid is an intellectual teenage hipster pushed over the edge.

The movie differs from typical Hollywood films by exploring what happens after the life-altering experience. When Placid is confronted by bullies he is struck with an incorrect theory: that humans have finally evolved to the next step, giving th em the ability to fly. A leap from a building, however, puts him into the hospital. From then on, Placid changes his views, and he moves from being a left-wing activist to a corporate-conservative.

The change comes as a shock to both Placid’s beatnik parents--who find it upsetting to see him wearing a suit--and his long-time equally intellectual friend Gemma (Rose Byrne). Gemma herself feels pressured by her father’s expectations of her for col lege, and is sexually frustrated about her virginity.

Though it is at times an over-the-top comedy, the movie does explore issues of conformity in-depth. There is also an interesting relationship between Placid and Gemma that, in the end, brings everything together. With the unique story, the internatio nally unknown actors giving wonderful performances, and the sunny look and feel, the movie shows that Hollywood could learn a thing or two from some of these obscure Aussie flicks.