At17:00everyday,Andrew,amiddle-agedman,driveshomefromworkthroughMelbourne’soutersuburbsinpeak-hourtraffic.Occasionally,heoffersalifthometoayoungercolleague,David.Overayear,theirtentativesmalltalkgiveswaytoawarmfriendshipandopenconversationwithintheconfinesofthevehicle,incrementallyrevealingtheirlives.Onemaywonderwhatathree-hourfilm,setalmostentirelyinacarandshotwithafixedcamerafromtheback,candeliver?Theanswerisanunexpectedlyengagingandentertainingobservationoftherhythmsofdailylife,andacatalogueofsuburbanworries.Insensorialterms,ThePlainschartsthepassageoftimeastheseasonschange.Thepitter-patterofrainandthefamiliarcocoonofthecarprovideasenseofcomfortandsafetyfromtheoutsideelements.Thecaristheliminalspacebetweenworkandhome,asthedayispondered,thenightplanned.Documentaryelementsexistbeyondthewindscreen,asafictioncoursesthroughthevehicle.ThePlainsisaroadmovieunlikeanythingyouhaveseenbefore.
At17:00everyday,Andrew,amiddle-agedman,driveshomefromworkthroughMelbourne’soutersuburbsinpeak-hourtraffic.Occasionally,heoffersalifthometoayoungercolleague,David.Overayear,theirtentativesmalltalkgiveswaytoawarmfriendshipandopenconversationwithintheconfinesofthevehicle,incrementallyrevealingtheirlives.Onemaywonderwhatathree-hourfilm,setalmostentirelyinacarandshotwithafixedcamerafromtheback,candeliver?Theanswerisanunexpectedlyengagingandentertainingobservationoftherhythmsofdailylife,andacatalogueofsuburbanworries.Insensorialterms,ThePlainschartsthepassageoftimeastheseasonschange.Thepitter-patterofrainandthefamiliarcocoonofthecarprovideasenseofcomfortandsafetyfromtheoutsideelements.Thecaristheliminalspacebetweenworkandhome,asthedayispondered,thenightplanned.Documentaryelementsexistbeyondthewindscreen,asafictioncoursesthroughthevehicle.ThePlainsisaroadmovieunlikeanythingyouhaveseenbefore.
