It's the Rage (film)
Encyclopedia
It's the Rage is a 1999 film version of Keith Reddin
's play "The Alarmist" about three interconnected stories and how handguns affect each of the nine people involved. The film is James D. Stern
's first time directing a feature, and boasts an all-star cast.
) shoots his wife Helen's (Joan Allen
) lover and his defense is that he thought he was shooting an intruder. She leaves him; and her lawyer (Andre Braugher
) helps her get a job with a nutty, reclusive computer wizard (Gary Sinise
) who waves a pistol about, sometimes at Helen. Tennel (Josh Brolin
), the computer geek's ex-assistant, lands a video-store job and is smitten by Annabel Lee (Anna Paquin
), an aggressive street kid who likes complaining about men to her pistol-packing psychotic brother (Giovanni Ribisi
) to set him off. In secret, Annabel starts an affair with the lawyer, but things are complicated when the lawyer's gay lover (David Schwimmer
) finds out. Meanwhile a cop (Robert Forster
) stays on Warren's tail.
, California
.
The film was first aired on cable television
as All the Rage. It never entered wide release in American theaters (showing only at a few select film festival
s), although the DVD release has had some mild success. It also cleaned up at the Milan
International Film Festival, winning awards for Best Acting (Gary Sinise
), Best Director, Best Editing, Best Film, Best Music, Best Screenwriting as well as the Audience Award.
Keith Reddin
Keith Reddin is an American actor and playwright. He received his B.S. in 1978 from Northwestern University and then went on to attend The Yale University School of Drama until he received his M.A. in 1981....
's play "The Alarmist" about three interconnected stories and how handguns affect each of the nine people involved. The film is James D. Stern
James D. Stern
James D. Stern is an American film director and producer, and Broadway producer, and a member of the Producers Guild of America. He won a 2003 Tony Award for "Hairspray," has been nominated for many Tony awards, and was a Drama Desk Award Winner for "Stomp."...
's first time directing a feature, and boasts an all-star cast.
Plot
Handguns figure in the intertwining lives of nine people. Warren (Jeff DanielsJeff Daniels
Jeffrey Warren "Jeff" Daniels is an American actor, musician and playwright. He founded a non-profit theatre company, the Purple Rose Theatre Company, in his home state of Michigan...
) shoots his wife Helen's (Joan Allen
Joan Allen
Joan Allen is an American actress. She worked in theatre, television and film during her early career, and achieved recognition for her Broadway debut in Burn This, winning a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play in 1989.She has received three Academy Award nominations;...
) lover and his defense is that he thought he was shooting an intruder. She leaves him; and her lawyer (Andre Braugher
Andre Braugher
Andre Braugher is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Thomas Searles in the film Glory, as the fiery detective Frank Pembleton on Homicide: Life on the Street from 1993 to 1998 and again in the 2000 made-for-TV film Homicide: Life on the Street, and as Owen Thoreau Jr...
) helps her get a job with a nutty, reclusive computer wizard (Gary Sinise
Gary Sinise
Gary Alan Sinise is an American actor, film director and musician. During his career, Sinise has won various awards including an Emmy and a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award. In 1992, Sinise directed, and played the role of George Milton in the successful film adaptation of...
) who waves a pistol about, sometimes at Helen. Tennel (Josh Brolin
Josh Brolin
Josh James Brolin is an American actor. He has acted in theater, film and television roles since 1985, and won acting awards for his roles in the films W., No Country for Old Men, Milk and True Grit.-Early life:...
), the computer geek's ex-assistant, lands a video-store job and is smitten by Annabel Lee (Anna Paquin
Anna Paquin
Anna Helene Paquin is a Canadian-born New Zealand actress. Paquin's first critically successful film was The Piano, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1994 at the age of 11 – the second youngest winner in history...
), an aggressive street kid who likes complaining about men to her pistol-packing psychotic brother (Giovanni Ribisi
Giovanni Ribisi
Giovanni Ribisi is an American actor. His film credits include Gone in 60 Seconds, Boiler Room, Saving Private Ryan, The Mod Squad, The Gift, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Lost in Translation and more recently, Public Enemies and Avatar...
) to set him off. In secret, Annabel starts an affair with the lawyer, but things are complicated when the lawyer's gay lover (David Schwimmer
David Schwimmer
David Lawrence Schwimmer is an American actor and director of television and film. He was born in New York City, and his family moved to Los Angeles when he was two. He began his acting career performing in school plays at Beverly Hills High School. In 1988, he graduated from Northwestern...
) finds out. Meanwhile a cop (Robert Forster
Robert Forster
Robert Forster is an American actor, best known for his roles as John Cassellis in Haskell Wexler's Medium Cool, and as Max Cherry in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown, the latter of which gained him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.- Early life :Forster was born Robert Wallace...
) stays on Warren's tail.
Cast
- Joan AllenJoan AllenJoan Allen is an American actress. She worked in theatre, television and film during her early career, and achieved recognition for her Broadway debut in Burn This, winning a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play in 1989.She has received three Academy Award nominations;...
as Helen - Andre BraugherAndre BraugherAndre Braugher is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Thomas Searles in the film Glory, as the fiery detective Frank Pembleton on Homicide: Life on the Street from 1993 to 1998 and again in the 2000 made-for-TV film Homicide: Life on the Street, and as Owen Thoreau Jr...
as Tim - Josh BrolinJosh BrolinJosh James Brolin is an American actor. He has acted in theater, film and television roles since 1985, and won acting awards for his roles in the films W., No Country for Old Men, Milk and True Grit.-Early life:...
as Tennel - Jeff DanielsJeff DanielsJeffrey Warren "Jeff" Daniels is an American actor, musician and playwright. He founded a non-profit theatre company, the Purple Rose Theatre Company, in his home state of Michigan...
as Warren Harding - Robert ForsterRobert ForsterRobert Forster is an American actor, best known for his roles as John Cassellis in Haskell Wexler's Medium Cool, and as Max Cherry in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown, the latter of which gained him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.- Early life :Forster was born Robert Wallace...
as Tyler - January JonesJanuary JonesJanuary Kristen Jones is an American actress. She is best known for playing Betty Draper on Mad Men.-Early life:...
as Janice Taylor - Anna PaquinAnna PaquinAnna Helene Paquin is a Canadian-born New Zealand actress. Paquin's first critically successful film was The Piano, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1994 at the age of 11 – the second youngest winner in history...
as Annabel Lee - Giovanni RibisiGiovanni RibisiGiovanni Ribisi is an American actor. His film credits include Gone in 60 Seconds, Boiler Room, Saving Private Ryan, The Mod Squad, The Gift, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Lost in Translation and more recently, Public Enemies and Avatar...
as Sidney - David SchwimmerDavid SchwimmerDavid Lawrence Schwimmer is an American actor and director of television and film. He was born in New York City, and his family moved to Los Angeles when he was two. He began his acting career performing in school plays at Beverly Hills High School. In 1988, he graduated from Northwestern...
as Chris - Gary SiniseGary SiniseGary Alan Sinise is an American actor, film director and musician. During his career, Sinise has won various awards including an Emmy and a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award. In 1992, Sinise directed, and played the role of George Milton in the successful film adaptation of...
as Morgan - Muse WatsonMuse WatsonMuse Watson is an American stage and screen actor. He most recently appeared as the recurring character Mike Franks in the television drama NCIS.-Biography:Watson was born on July 20, 1948 in Alexandria, Louisiana...
as Cleaner - Bokeem WoodbineBokeem WoodbineBokeem Woodbine is an American film and television actor.-Personal life:Woodbine was born in Harlem, New York to an actress mother. He attended the prestigious Dalton School in New York before transferring to the also prestigious LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in the city...
as Agee
Production
Filming took place in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
The film was first aired on cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
as All the Rage. It never entered wide release in American theaters (showing only at a few select film festival
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
s), although the DVD release has had some mild success. It also cleaned up at the Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
International Film Festival, winning awards for Best Acting (Gary Sinise
Gary Sinise
Gary Alan Sinise is an American actor, film director and musician. During his career, Sinise has won various awards including an Emmy and a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award. In 1992, Sinise directed, and played the role of George Milton in the successful film adaptation of...
), Best Director, Best Editing, Best Film, Best Music, Best Screenwriting as well as the Audience Award.