Despite being characterized as a noir drama, veteran director Jeffrey Reiner’s latest release, Lake George, emulates the feeling of a road trip buddy comedy-with an unlikely duo pairing up for self-interest, and trying to make the most of their partnership by going to great lengths to con a gangster. There is hardly a narrative choice present in the movie which viewers could treat as unexpected developments, but Lake George is not about the intrigue of the story itself. Rather, the movie shines in the way the chemistry between the two misfit leads played by the ever-reliable Shea Whigham and remarkable Carrie Coon is handled, the way beautiful natural landscape of Eastern California sprawled through Sierra Nevada and the San Fernando valley is captured, the way situational humor peppered through the story adds such a strong flavor to the narrative treatment. The ending betrays the mood created by the rest of the movie, which didn’t try to convince viewers every journey needs a definitive, conventional destination – instead, be captivated with the charm and oddities of the journey itself. Although it’s no biggie, as Lake George has much to offer to ignore minor misgivings like that.
Spoilers Ahead
Why Did Don And Phyllis Decide To Work Together?
A former insurance adjuster, Don is at the age when he could have retired with a lump sum provident fund and devoted his time to his family to spend the rest of his life in peace, had his gambling addiction not prompted him to run prolonged insurance scams by joining hands with Armen, which eventually resulted in him spending a decade in federal prison. Don’s decision to ruin his life resulted in his family abandoning him, and upon his release, he finds it tough to stay afloat, as elder ex-cons aren’t exactly on the desirable candidate list of the recruiting companies. Armen had managed to evade a long sentence, quite obviously using his legal influences, and apparently owed Don some money, which is why Don decided to meet him to ask for his due – despite the fact that Armen holds a grudge against Don for messing up the operation by putting his trust in the wrong person. Armen agrees to pay Don his due, only if he takes care of something for him. Armen wants his ex girlfriend, Phyllis, to be eliminated, and he entrusts Don with the job despite knowing that he isn’t quite suited to take up a task like this. Don suffers from recurrent panic attacks, and is hardly the person one would look for to have someone killed, but rattled by Armen’s right hand man, Harout, Don finds himself unable to refuse the deal.
Armen had met Phyllis in rehab, and after knowing that she was good with numbers, decided to involve her with his business – much to the dismay of his long time associates and lackeys. Phyllis’ personal ambitions were proving to overpower her loyalty to Armen, which landed her on Armen’s bad side. Don manages to track Phyllis down with relative ease, and takes her to seclusion to finish the job – but realizes he doesn’t have what it takes after all. A lively bumbling chatterbox in her mid 40s, Phyllis is eager to present herself a pity case for Don, detailing how it was Armen’s insecurities and the jealousy of his lackeys which made her a target, how she apparently has an amnesiac mother to care for – practically anything which could make Don feel sympathetic towards her. A reserved, taciturn Don doesn’t let his guard down, and wants Phyllis to disappear by settling to Washington so that Armen doesn’t learn about his failure. However, Phyllis has a better plan, she knows the secret hideouts where Armen stashes his money, and offers Don to join hands in make a fortune for themselves by robbing him. Don is initially hesitant in fear of repercussions, but both of them get on the same page eventually through their common enmity with Armen. The prospect of starting a new life entices both of them, and Don, who has nothing to lose anyway – is drawn by the promise as well.
Why Did Phyllis Return To Armen?
Initially appearing pitiful and helpless, it soon becomes clear Phyllis is much more than what meets the eye, and Don on the other hand is not at all the person his gruff, stoic demeanour might imply, Phyllis and Don take down two of Armen’s hideouts, stealing gold and cash – and their misadventures – which leave a trail of bodies, reveal a lot about who they truly are. Phyllis hides her knack for violence and manipulative, unpredictable nature under the wraps of her chirpy, almost silly persona – and that too not by putting up an act, that’s really how she is, or has become. While Don, a charming loser, cowers in his indecisiveness and fear, Phyllis is quick to kill anyone who might prove a threat to their plan, and knows how to survive. She knows very well how to make Don gradually let down his guard, a stroll near the seashore cliffs, taking care of him when he suffers panic attacks, narrating a fantasy which he might live with all the stolen riches they have – providing a sense of belonging to a person who hates himself the most proves quite effective as Don finally shares his past with her. Phyllis assures Don that he is a good person, something he needed to hear to finally trust Phyllis unquestionably. By sending staged photos of Phyllis’ demise, Don assures Harout and Armen that he has done whatever they asked.
However, a nervous Don agrees to meet Armen to collect his due, despite having the chance to go scot free with Armen’s riches. Having Phyllis wait at a rendezvous point, Don goes to meet Armen, only to realize he didn’t really want for him to kill Phyllis in the first place, only wanted her threatened – but didn’t consider the possibility that Don would actually be able to end up murdering her. Refusing to honor the deal they had, Armen commands Harout to kill Don, who confesses that Phyllis is alive. As Armen sends Harout with Don to bring Phyllis, she manages to knock down Harout and confronts Armen herself.
Phyllis held a grudge against Armen for the humiliation he and his lackeys had caused her, and finally having Armen in his most vulnerable situation, Phyllis takes her revenge by killing him – not before taking some more of his stashed cash for herself. Don and Phyllis now have all the money they could have ever wanted, and Phyllis requests Don to take her to the cabin near Lake George where he wanted to settle down in the first place, as she wants to lay low for a few days.
Were Phyllis And Don Able To Start A New Life?
Before moving towards their destination, Don leaves some of the money to his wife, he no longer has hope that his family will make amends after everything is said and done, but at least he will be able to rest easy knowing that he was able to provide them with something – even if it is blood money. There was a palpable romantic tension growing between Don and Phyllis which was compounding through the course of the movie as Phyllis became more confident around Don, and in turn he became more trusting towards her – and this tension reaches a climax when the duo make a stop for a night in a motel before the day they planned to reach Lake George. However, none of them commit to their feelings, dreaming for a better future while still being conscious.
Things go in an unexpected, or in a sense expected way, when the next day, Don finds out Phyllis had left him with a single gold bar and a gun, taking Armen’s entire stash with her. She was playing him all along, and Don was too naïve to realize. He finds Harout looking for him outside the motel, and managing to get an upper hand on him, Don takes Harout to a secluded spot to finish him off. Don’s hesitation to kill Harout results in the duo having a scuffle, which ends with Harout’s death and Don sustaining a fatal gunshot wound. Afterwards, Don, patching himself up somewhat, decides to move to Lake George, and in his dying moments, as he gazes upon the picturesque view – he sees Phyllis appearing in front of him, promising to take care of him. Even though it seems Phyllis had returned for Don, it was most probably only a projection of Don’s wishful fantasy, of which Phyllis has become a part as well. In his final moments, he wanted to believe that Phyllis hadn’t abandoned him, left him in a sorry state when his world had turned its back on him. Don had been betrayed by someone close, which ended him in prison, and this time, betrayal by someone he thought to be close resulted in his demise. Enjoying the serenity of the lakeview, Don passed away with the peace of knowing that he wasn’t completely alone at the end, even though it was a lie his mind made up to cope up with the pain of abandonment – the lie was every bit worth it.
