“Lake George” - Film Review
The noir genre of film had its heyday in the 1940s and ’50s. It was born out of a cynical distrust of large establishments and a sense of bleakness that permeated all aspects of culture. It’s no surprise that pop culture has given way to neo-noir, an updated take on the 1940s genre that began in the ’80s. Should we be calling films like Lake George neo-neo-noir? In a time when ambivalence and social mistrust are at an all-time high, it makes sense that filmmakers are returning to something that allows them to wallow in the dark corners of our world. While Lake George may not reach the heights of the genre classics, it’s a charming road-trip romp led by two captivating performances.
Don (Shea Whigham) made friends with the wrong people, but after spending ten years in jail he’s finally free. All he wants to do now is pick up the money that’s owed to him and head out to a rented cabin on Lake George. Before that can happen, Don’s boss, Armen (Glenn Fleshler), the man partially responsible for Don’s time in jail, has one last job for him to do. Armen wants Don to kill his girlfriend, Phyllis (Carrie Coon), and then the money will be Don’s to ride off into the sunset with. The only problem is that Don isn’t a killer, and when the time comes to carry out the task, he can’t do it. It helps that Phyllis throws him a Hail Mary deal: he doesn’t kill her and she leads him to Armen’s safe houses, where there’s enough money for both of them to disappear.
Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing.
The trappings of the noir genre are presented here in Lake George. Don is the sweaty, exhausted, and desperate begrudging hero, while Phyllis is his unlikely femme fatale counterpart. It’s their sparkling dynamic that provides the film’s strongest components. Both rarely get the chance to dive into more comedic roles, but Coon especially is delighting in this opportunity to flex her comedy chops. She’s a fast-talking, on-her-toes antithesis to Don, who has barely given a thought to anything he does. The two of them form an unlikely duo that carries the slim storyline through a series of errors and murders. Don is an even more reluctant John Wick type with absolutely none of the skills. Phyllis, on the other hand, is quite confident in handling a gun when the situation calls for it.
While Lake George flounders around in its get-rich-quick scheme, it’s the quieter moments that will linger. As a story, there’s not a lot to grip the attention of the audience. We’ve all seen a reluctant duo trying to start a new life while on the run from some vaguely described bad guys, and Lake George follows the expected beats. It’s Whigham and Coon who make the difference.
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