Rage (2009 American film)

Rage is a 2009 satirical mystery art film written and directed by Sally Potter, starring Jude Law and Judi Dench. The filmmakers said that the film created a new genre in filmmaking, called "naked cinema".^[1]

Rage
Film poster
Directed by	Sally Potter
Written by	Sally Potter
Produced by	Robert Hiestand Andrew Fierberg Christopher Sheppard
Starring	Jude Law Judi Dench Dianne Wiest Steve Buscemi John Leguizamo Lily Cole
Cinematography	Steven Fierberg
Edited by	Daniel Goddard
Distributed by	Cinetic Media
Release date	February 8, 2009 (2009-02-08) (Berlinale)
Running time	98 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Premise

A young, ambitious blogger working at a prestigious New York City fashion house becomes an unlikely investigative journalist when he begins documenting the behind-the-scenes chaos of the fashion industry through candid interviews shot on his cell phone. Initially intending to create simple promotional content for the company's website, his project quickly evolves into something far more complex and dangerous as he gains unprecedented access to the inner workings of this exclusive world.

As he navigates the glamorous yet cutthroat environment of high fashion, the blogger finds himself caught between competing loyalties and conflicting agendas. The fashion house, with its towering glass offices and pristine showrooms, serves as a microcosm of corporate America, where creativity clashes with commerce and artistic vision battles bottom-line pressures. His amateur documentary project transforms into a gripping exposé as he captures intimate confessions, bitter rivalries, and shocking revelations from the eccentric cast of characters who populate this exclusive world.

Through his handheld camera, the blogger interviews a diverse array of fashion industry insiders: from narcissistic designers and ruthless executives to vulnerable models and hardworking seamstresses. Each conversation reveals another layer of the industry's complex social hierarchy and moral compromises. As his investigation deepens, he uncovers dark secrets about labor practices, financial irregularities, and personal scandals that threaten to destroy careers and lives.

Cast

• Jude Law as Minx
• Steve Buscemi as Frank
• Judi Dench as Mona Carvell
• John Leguizamo as Jed
• Dianne Wiest as Miss Roth
• Eddie Izzard as Tiny Diamonds
• Riz Ahmed as Vijay
• Bob Balaban as Mr. White
• Lily Cole as Lettuce Leaf
• Patrick J. Adams as Dwight Angel
• David Oyelowo as Homer
• Adriana Barraza as Anita de Los Angeles
• Simon Abkarian as Merlin
• Jakob Cedergren as Otto

Release

The film premiered at the 2009 Berlin International Film Festival and was nominated for the Golden Berlin Bear.^[2][3][4]

The DVD was released on September 22, 2009, in the US, and September 28, 2009, in the UK. A special edition version of the DVD was released through the official Rage website.

Babelgum premiered the film on mobile phones and internet at the same time as the cinema and DVD release. Babelgum released Rage in the UK, North America, Australia, Italy, France, Germany and Spain.^[5][6][7]

Rage is the world’s first feature film to debut on mobile phones. The movie was to be shown in seven episodes, beginning on September 21, 2009. The online screening began on September 28, 2009.^[8]

Rage had its New York screen premiere on September 21, 2009, at “The Box”.^[9]

Reception

The film was widely panned by critics, with criticism mostly focusing on its acting, direction, plot, script and length, as well as that it did not achieve its satirical intentions. On Rotten Tomatoes it has an approval rating of 29% based on reviews from 7 critics.^[10]

It has been described as 'lame' and an 'indignant annoyance' by Leslie Felperin of Variety^[11] and 'claustrophobic, repetitive and mostly ludicrous' by Richard Mowe of Boxoffice Magazine.^[12]

In a rare positive review, Caryn James of Newsweek said 'you see how pertinent Potter is to the topsy-turvy world of filmmaking today, how smoothly she blends the cutting edge and the mainstream, how underappreciated she has been.'^[13]