Rage (2009)

Rage Poster

A schoolboy uses his cellphone camera to shoot intimate interviews with people working at a New York fashion house and secretly posts them on the internet. Result: a bitterly funny expose of an industry in crisis, during a week in which an accident on the runway becomes a murder investigation, and denial leads to devastation.

Film Summary
"Rage" is a 2009 drama mystery movie directed by Sally Potter and stars an ensemble cast that consists of Jude Law, Steve Buscemi, Judi Dench, and Eddie Izzard. The movie presents an unconventional point of view of the fashion business versus the backdrop of a murder mystery plot, where a young blog writer named "Michelangelo" performs a series of interviews with different characters connected with a style home.

Plot and Characterization
The story of "Rage" unfolds over 7 days after a designer's brand-new collection's launching at a New York style house. Michelangelo (Simon Abkarian), a student and blog writer, interviews essential characters associated with the event. His subjects range from the designer; Merlin (Jude Law), a supermodel; Lettuce Leaf (Lily Cole), a makeup artist; Minx (Eddie Izzard), a critic; and numerous others.

As Michelangelo performs these interviews on his cellular phone video camera, the characters gradually expose their stress and anxieties and secrets. This turns out to be particularly revealing when an accident on the runway becomes a murder examination, with everybody becoming a possible suspect. Throughout the course of this narrative, "Rage" explores themes of appearance versus reality, the superficiality of the fashion business, and the transformative power of innovation.

Cinematic Technique and Aesthetic
"Rage" is a speculative movie by nature and stands apart for its unique aesthetic technique. The whole film occurs within a single room, with characters filmed in close-up against monochrome backgrounds. The movie relies greatly on the performances of its cast and the strength of its dialogue offered its minimalist approach.

Sally Potter utilizes this claustrophobic video camera method to imitate the personal and intimate nature of video journals and blog entries providing the audience an intimate gain access to into the characters' inner thoughts and worries. The use of plain, vibrant colors immersed within the backdrop is another emphasize, showing the mood and feelings of the characters.

Styles and Reception
"Rage" explores styles of obfuscation and discovery, as characters battle with their tricks amidst an increasingly distressed and paranoid environment. It provides a critique of the fashion business and the dehumanizing results of rampant consumerism. The film also attends to the power of brand-new media, exhibited in Michelangelo's blog, as an equalizing force capable of revealing the fact behind the facade.

While "Rage" was generally applauded for its ingenious technique and its expedition of themes, it received combined reviews from critics. Some commemorated its speculative design and its vibrant, minimalist aesthetic appeals, whereas others slammed it for being excessively pompous and latent in its ambitions. The ensemble cast and their performances were universally appreciated.

Conclusion
"Rage" is a distinct and ambitious offering from Sally Potter that provides a review of the fashion industry through the lens of a murder mystery. Its release of an individually interview format makes for an intimate and frequently confrontational audience experience, excavating the fears, stress and anxieties, and vulnerabilities of characters frequently perceived as glitzy and glamorous. In spite of having mixed reviews, it undoubtedly offers insightful scathing criticism of the industry's excesses and overindulgences.

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