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Most successful Australian films are quintessentially Australian. From Walkabout in 1970 via Peter Weir's pictures such as Picnic at Hanging Rock; The Last Wave and Gallipoli, right up to releases around Lantana such as The Tracker; Dirty Deeds; Rabbit-Proof Fence; Aussie Rules; The Dish and the Steve Irwin vehicle, The Crocodile Hunter Collision Course. Their appeal is partly based on an exploration of Australian culture or rather a contrast of cultures either within Australia or with the rest of the world. Like much of British Cinema, Australian Cinema has taken refuge in nationhood.

Lantana is different. Although it is set in present day Sydney it could, with the exception of the film's metaphorical title, be set in any Western urban conurbation. The film does not depend on either supposed Aussie character traits or well-known locations. Postcard Sydney is eschewed in favour of suburbia and mid-town. It is also bold as, although it contains a crime detection story, the film is primarily about an interwoven set of relationships gone wrong. The police investigation does not begin until halfway through the film, and this allows the relationships to be explored in detail before the more conventional narrative begins.

Leon (Anthony LaPaglia) is a morose police detective whose marriage to Sonja (the excellent Kerry Armstrong) is failing. His brief affair with Jane (Rachael Blake) in the opening sequence, is a symptom not a cause. Sonja confides her worries of the affair to Dr. Somers (Barbara Hershey), whose own relationship is soured by suspicion and tragedy. The only solid relationship is that of Jane's neighbours, whose domestic circumstances are the most difficult. This background unfolds in the first half of the film and the individual relationships are then laid over the plot allowing both an intertwining and explanation. The strength of the film is that as the characters have already been well realised, so their actions and emotions can be understood in the second half of the film. This is territory often reserved to a good novel, and is rarely brought off in the cinema and it is so well done here that a couple of narrative co-incidences can be forgiven.

The lantana is a large native Australian flowering plant, whose attractive and benign appearance conceals a thorny interior. The shrub is cleverly threaded into the plot and serves as a reminder that in relationships, things might not be all they seem and that care is needed to prevent hurt. In keeping with the film's realistic style there are no feel-good resolutions but the emotional intensity carries it to an ending of some hope rather than desolation.

This is one of those rarities, a movie which walks the tightrope between being a perfect drama and an absorbing mystery and does it spectacularly well. The first hour is dedicated to establishing the various characters like the cop, his wife, the woman he is fooling around with, her estranged husband, the neighbors of the women etc. The interplay between the characters and the different situations are very fascinating. The second half is about the disappearance of one of the characters and how the others interact and react. The acting is brilliant with Anthony Lapaglia surprisingly getting a meatier role and performing much better than Geoffrey Rush. The screenplay is simply fantastic. It is a travesty that this was not nominated for any of the major awards. perhaps it being from Australia was a reason. This is a must watch movie for buffs who love their drama with a touch of intrigue. 4 out of 5. Very well made movie.

This is a complex drama. Although the film involves a murder, the story is more the exploration of a number of interconnected relationships.

The film starts with a woman's body lying in a lantana bush, but we don't know who it is until the end. The story builds up to that point, and centres on a quartet of families starting with Leon Zat (Anthony La Paglia), a police detective, and his wife Sonja (Kerry Armstrong).

"Lantana", the title of the film, refers to the noxious weed that grows like crazy and eventually strangles and entangles everything else in the garden - it's the perfect metaphor for the way all the various relationships are being strangled and entangled by infidelity, deception and unhappiness.

The structure of the film is similar to Robert Altman's "Short Cuts" where different stories intersect at critical times.

Although the film has a sense of mystery, I found "Lantana" just too serious and humourless. Unlike "Short Cuts", there really isn't a light touch in the whole thing. Anthony La Paglia's Leon Zat makes the characters played by Nicholas Cage seem deliriously happy by comparison. I am also wary in Australian movies of scenes set in psychiatrist's offices; it often allows the 'meaningful' dialogue to be delivered in very large chunks.

After a while, for me at any rate, the interconnectivity - where no meeting is random - comes across as just a little too laboured. What saves "Lantana" is that everyone plays it low-key - the actors give the movie class.

The brilliant Barbara Hershey has competition for attention from two other women: Kerry Armstrong and Rachael Blake. Kerry Armstrong is one of the most interesting actors in Australian film and television, and she ages beautifully.

The film steps up a notch when the mystery kicks in about halfway through, and it becomes partly a police procedural.

"Lantana" was loved up by the critics and won every Australian film award going at the time it was released. It is the sort of smart, multi-layered film that the cognoscenti could discuss at some length over lattes on Sunday morning.

The film is well made and the acting is flawless, but it seems interminably stretched out, an effect aided by the chilled out score. My main problem with "Lantana" is that it seems to self-consciously scream out "How clever is my script?" I can see the gears turning.

This well-delivered ensemble piece is a film version of Andrew Bovell's play SPEAKING IN TONGUES. It deals with adult relationships, particularly the sexual tension and anxiety that eventually develops in mature relationships. The plot and interaction between characters depends heavily on coincidence, but this isn't a major flaw in a film that really concerns itself with adult behavior patterns. That aspect of the film is sophisticated and honest; well worth the viewer's time. Brooding, subtle and smart are the words for LANTANA and I highly recommend it.

"Lantana" is a well-made film with good performances all-around and a fine script. It's nice seeing Anthony LaPaglia, a damn fine actor, using his native accent. I was really hoping to see more of Geoffrey Rush, since he's one of my favorite actors, but it's an ensemble effort and he puts more than his own two cents into the film. I can't say much about the movie, other than it was engrossing and kept my attention. However, the plot is not completely original. I've seen other movies about infidelity in different relationships, and the different characters interlocking through their infidelities (I think that's the plot of every Edward Burns' film). So I didn't feel as compelled by the film as I expected to be. But it's still, by no means, a bad film. And I'd recommend it to anyone in the mood for a well-acted character drama.

My score: 7 (out of 10)

LANTANA (2001) **** (out of four)

"Lantana" does not embody a story like most movies; it isn't about anything in particular. It's a movie about characters. Not larger-than-life super heroes, but characters who succumb to temptation, cheat on their wives, doubt their spouses, make mistakes and suffer consequences. In other words, "Lantana" is about real people. Normal, imperfect people like all of us. Not that everyone behaves like the characters here, but few films capture transgression with such compassion and sympathy.

Set in Australia, a colorful pallet of characters paints a vivid, coherent psychological portrait of infidelity, deceit, and estrangement. At the center of the film is four couples, immersed in guilt and depravity for different reasons. Everybody has something to hide. The conflicts of these people illuminate the personal crisis of a police detective (Anthony LaPaglia) as he investigates the disappearance of a local woman.

Apart from the investigation, the couples have little connection with each other. They do have one thing in common, however, that none of them communicates with their loved ones. "Lantana" proves communication enforces commitment, but a lack thereof results in disaster. This sincere, uncompromising picture places the lack of communication at the center of family problems.

The film won various Australian Film Awards for its performances, screenplay, and direction by Ray Lawrence. Lawrence clearly intended the title-referring to a tropical shrub with beautiful flowers that hide dense, thorny undergrowth-to represent the characters' private lives hidden behind an outward appearance. He's got the wrong metaphor. These characters do not appear sunny on the inside, outside, front or back. They don't wear masks or attempt to cover their frowning states of mind. They are unhappy people, and the movie never pretends otherwise.

Those qualities make the characters absorbing. Instead of providing them with outlets and opportunities to hide their faults, the film pokes, prods, and starves them of their happiness until they reach a breaking point. For some, the breaking point results in an explosion of anger. For others, it's subtle and personal. "Lantana" investigates real people who deal with real situations and encounter real consequences.

None of the characters are model citizens, yet we care deeply about each of them. When someone cries, we feel sorry for them. When someone begs for forgiveness, we try to forgive them. When someone questions their spouse, we are concerned with both sides of the marriage. These people make big mistakes; the results of their mistakes are never certain. The movie does not neatly pull things together at the end. It doesn't allow the characters an easy way out. These characters must dig themselves out of their problems.

"Lantana" is one of the most compelling, involving films of the year. It's based on a play called "Speaking in Tongues" by Andrew Bovell, who also wrote the fluid screenplay. I want to see this play. If these characters feel so alive, so real, so tormented on screen, think of their power in person.

Movie has solid performance , good production quality. with some decent ending. movie is about husband wife relationship and their problems.

Even the movie a bit far from reality , because once there is a crack in marriage, a huge crack, then its over for good. and adultery / cheating is a huge crack. so no matter how hard the couple try to get back again , it wont. a broken marriage never stays longer n stronger.

-----------------------spoilers------------------------

when the detective was cheating , he got regret n remorse and reconcile with wife. the movie shows later.

But , when his wife trying to have sex with her dance partner in parking lot , she didnt expressed that to husband. thats a little flaw in movie which is missed.

In this starkly realistic examination of love and infidelity among the thirtysomething crowd from down under we learn that you may desire to cheat on your spouse, but it's better if you don't.

Leon Zat, a police detective played with an original and striking demeanor by Anthony LaPaglia, cheats on his wife and finds that his adultery compromises not only his marriage but his performance on the job. He becomes irritable and flies off the handle at things of little importance, and becomes consumed with guilt.

He is not alone. The marriage of John Knox (Geoffrey Rush) and psychiatrist Valerie Somers (Barbara Hershey) is falling apart as Knox seeks something from the outside and Somers is torn apart with the suspicion that he is having a homosexual affair, perhaps with one of her clients. Meanwhile Jane O'May (Zat's adulteress played by Rachael Blake) finds that she needs a man, or maybe two, other than her estranged husband. Even Sonja Zat (Kerry Armstrong) feels the pressure and yearns to feel attractive, perhaps with younger men.

More than halfway through we have an apparent murder and an investigation during the course of which some of the adulteries come to light and cause the participants to examine themselves and their lives closely.

Andrew Dovell wrote the subtle, richly attired script, full of penetrating dialogue and an uncompromising veracity, adapting it from his play Speaking in Tongues. Ray Lawrence directed in an unusual but compelling manner in which the scenes are sharply focused and cut to linger in our minds. Again and again I was startled with just how exactly right was something a character said or did. Lawrence's exacting attention to detail gives the film a textured and deeply layered feel so that one has the sense of real life fully lived. The cast is uniformly excellent although LaPaglia stands out because of his most demanding role. His performance is one of the best I have seen in recent years. The only weakness in the film is a somewhat lethargic start, partially caused by Lawrence's cinéma vérité scene construction and editing. What he likes to do is lead us to a realization along with the characters and then punctuate the experience by lingering on the scene, or in other cases by cutting quickly away. Often what other directors might show, he leaves to our imagination, and at other times he shows something seemingly trivial which nonetheless stays in our mind. John Knox's affair, for example, is not shown. Jane O'May and her husband's reconciliation is left to our mind's eye. Yet the scene with Valerie Somers in the lighted telephone booth (with graffiti) is shown at length and then what happens next is not. These are interesting directorial choices.

The ending comes upon us, as it sometimes should, unexpectedly, but then resonates so that we can see and feel the resolution. Not everything is tied up. Again we are left in some cases to use our own imagination.

This original film, one of the best of the new millennium I have seen, stayed with me long after they ran the closing credits. It is well worth the two hours.

(Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get it at Amazon!)

"Lantana" refers to a tropical shrub, and lantana grows along the waysides in Australia. The 2001 film "Lantana" goes underneath the shrubs and takes a look at the lives of several couples whose lives are intertwined by the disappearance of a psychiatrist, Valerie Somers (Barbara Hershey). There's a police officer Leon Zat (Anthony LaPaglia) who is taking dance lessons with his wife Sonja (Kerry Armstrong) and has an affair with another student, Jane (Rachel Blake); Jane's neighbors, with a husband (Manu Bennett) out of work; and the psychiatrist's own dysfunctional marriage to John Knox (Geoffrey Rush) after their daughter is murdered. When Valerie goes missing, Zat investigates, suspecting her husband. He then learns that his own wife was Valerie's client. Then Jane reports seeing her neighbor throw a woman's shoe into the underbrush.

These lives intertwined stories are the fashion nowadays. There was a complaint that this film is "slow." This is because filmgoers today are not used to the art of the buildup. My two favorite opposing examples of this are the classic film "San Francisco," where the earthquake happens in the last half hour of the movie, and "Poseidon" where stock characters have a line each before the ship sinks in the first five minutes of the movie.

"Lantana" is an intriguing film that will keep the audience wondering and guessing - does Valerie suspect her client of an involvement with her husband? How did the neighbor get the woman's shoe? Can the Zats find one another again? The three "names" in "Lantana" - LaPaglia, Hershey, and Rush - give excellent performances. It's unknown to me why LaPaglia isn't right up there with Robert de Niro. Perhaps it's his willingness or need to do television - at any rate, the dark, sad character of Zat can't possibly be being played by the same man who was Daphne's drunken Cockney cousin on "Frasier"! He is a magnificent actor and creates here a tortured man who loves his wife and family but has lost the ability to feel anything. His scene in the car at the end of the film is gut-wrenching. Hershey is effective as a psychiatrist forced to listen to people's problems while disturbed about her own dead marriage, and Rush's frozen face displays no emotion, yet we know he's dying inside.

A really fine movie, well worth seeing. A note to you young folks - try being patient with a story that builds.

What struck me the most about Lantana was not the well-laid plot, more the thoroughly realistic characters and performances. The classic 'mystery' thread was really only the setting for the several different relationships and couples featured in the film.

But having said that, the story itself was gutsy and twisting to keep you guessing till the end, all without the need for non-essential narrative or the need to keep spelling things out. The questions were all answered so far as the story was concerned, but because of the complexity and realism in all the principle characters, i still left the cinema rolling plenty of the emotional issues through my mind for hours after.

La Paglia was fantastic. His character, though shown as an adulterer from the very beginning, captured so many of the current male 'indentities' with great subtlety instead of a stereotyped 'hug session' which most recent films dealing with the subject matter inevitably lead to. He so easily showed the internal conflicts which most normal Australian men deal with day-to-day while still keeping up the brave face we all do.

I also enjoyed the quirky way the relatively small number of characters were all drawn together by fairly consequential links, and without a huge big statement of it in the end - no matter how many people there are on the planet, it still amazes me how small and incestual problem-circles end up becoming :)

This film has the potential to appeal to so many different audiences - works as a mystery, cop-drama, "chick flick", and to anyone who could ever relate to the 'feel' of Australia, which the film captures perfectly through great ambient audio and natural-looking lighting.

Well written, directed, photographed and cast give this one an easy full marks.

I'm always worried when I go to a film that everyone raves about, which was the case with Lantana. As usual, it was a bit disappointing.

Yes, the acting was excellent, from a fine cast, and the story was interesting as well as believable.

However, there was nothing in the film which really grabbed me, nothing to make me laugh or cry. Perhaps I'm too bitter and twisted.

I object to those people who say this is the best Australian film to come along for years. Perhaps they haven't seen Chopper or Mallboy. Now those two films really got to me. And if you compare this to Soft Fruit, it looks really feeble.

If Miramax had been distributing "Lantana," you'd have heard as much about this movie as "In the Bedroom."

Anthony LaPaglia matches Tom Wilkinson for a low-burning but implosive performance. New to U.S. audiences, Kerry Armstrong is captivating.

While it's absolutely fascinating to see how screenwriter Andrew Bovell opened up his play "Speaking in Tongues," though both stand on their own, particularly for their frank look at the issue of the frailty of trust and betrayal, between husbands and wives, lovers, families and friends.

The movie makes much better thematic use of a cinematic technique of visual coincidences that other films have used as a gimmick. Here the coincidences provide crucial, ever more difficult tests, leading to either sins of omission or sins of commission as those without trust jump to conclusions or hold on to their love and faith in their partner.

The music is by Paul Kelly and is superbly atmospheric, creating a noir atmosphere and building up the tension with a continuing theme that alternates with sexy salsa music. In particular, a leit motif plays ominously whenever the titular, tropical plant fills the screen.

The crowded audience interpreted ironic comments as high comedy, which was annoying, but perhaps helped to break the tension. There was a lot of audience talking as the story was half-told visually --a particularly neat change from the original play--and the coincidences would be revealed to the audience.

This is a sophisticated film for grown-ups that absolutely respects the intelligence of its viewers.

(originally written 1/21/2002)

Coupledoom coupledull and coupleboom are on board of a ship. Where goes the ship?

About half a dozen couples are matched and mismatched during 2hrs-Lantana. With more fun this could have been a good plot for some TV-series. No way! This is damn serious. I can't believe some people can be so damn serious. Do they have so much time to spare?

Ok, I'll be serious for a while: Lantana was too much of a patchwork of coupledom situations to me. Encompassing all this is nothing really thrilling. Directing/editing/photography/score are average at best. I admire Geoffrey Rush; all the actresses were really good but... far too serious goes near fake and stiff. I mean a compilation is supposed to cater for all tastes, yet Lantana has been praised for being far from such market-writing practices. Originality doesn't necessary mean great movie (aahhh thou over-rated painful memento!). It doesn't help to be indulgent with this stuff just because it looks different from Hollywood's products. Apparently different is not surely more intelligent, but it definitely helps to save on brain activity to think that way.

12 million australopitheci rushed to see this? They seem to badly need a Ministry for a Better Coupledom out there.

Very well done Australian independent film, which shows that great acting and writing can overcome a fairly contrived script, in this case (obviously) based on a play. The plot is fairly standard rondalay of 'mates', one of them ends up dead, who did it? But the acting- in particular Anthony LaPaglia and Barbara Hershey- is superlative. Puts this years sad crop of American Indy films to shame. Worth seeing.

I saw this film, skeptical of the proud "winner of 6 Australian Oscars" tagline, although I now have the utmost respect for the Australian film industry after, among others, Rabbit Proof Fence, Swimming Upstream and now this.

I thought that Lantana was definitely the film of the year (waiting on The Lord Of The Rings). The acting was unbelievably good throughout -- although La Paglia stands out. An intriguing story, revealed layer by layer; textured characters; and sharp direction combine to make this an absolutely peerless drama (in the past decade at least). I hope it picks up a few American Oscars too (although it's unlikely considering their penchant for self-congratulation).

Why are the people that don't have a thing to say about this film think that it is so slow? Also, for that matter, why are they comparing it to Short Cuts and Magnolia?

Lantana is a fine film thanks to the sure direction of Ray Lawrence and the fine script by Andrew Bovell. This was certainly a nice surprise coming from Australia, which has given us a great many interesting films and that keeps telling world wide audiences there sure is life after Hollywood and the formula styled fare that has been coming from the La-La Land in the last years.

To begin with, the cast is first rate. Anthony Lapaglia keeps getting better and better all the time. Aside from his work on stage, namely, The Rose Tatoo and A View from the Bridge, on Broadway, his appearances in films are always convincing. He's the kind of actor that doesn't repeat himself. He has such a presence and magnetism that we can't take our eyes from him throughout the duration of Lantana.

His character here is full of anger. He's at the point in his life where a mistake will make him lose his wife and children by straying to an area where he shouldn't have gone in the first place. His wife beautifully played by Kerry Armstrong is incredible. She has an integrity and dignity that many women should envy. She's sure of herself and her life with even a husband that might have and affair but who comes running back to her when he realizes what's at stake.

Barbara Hershey is another actress that always gives us a new dimension to her craft. She's never been better in her last appearances under the direction of Mr. Lawrence. Even Geoffrey Rush, an actor who could go off the top in many of his roles, plays the right note here.

The rest of the cast is excellent. Lantana is a great film. The best thing is to relax and enjoy this well crafted drama.

I think it's been pointed out enough that there are obvious similarities in styles between this and PTA's magnolia but lantana greatly dissapointed me. The critic's loved it and so did all my friends and i was absolutely dying to see this film. I felt it missed the mark. It wasn't long enough. Somebody said that the film wasn't about characters but relationships. How can u have a film with no character development in a film about relationships.

I felt another our would have given the director more time to develop these characters and make us feel something for them.

The fact this film won so many AFI's shows the poor state of the film industry in Oz. That's not to say this is a bad movie, it's decent but got more credit than it deserved.

A foreign-film-hater's stereotype come to life, Lantana is a well-made but painfully boring soap opera that avoids the Hollywood cliche's at the price of zero entertainment value. It's a shame to see great actors like Geoffrey Rush waste their time on an uninspired yawn-fest like this. Rent Quills, Shine, or anything else with Rush and see what he's capable of given a halfway inspired script.

I thought this movie was very good. It moved slowly at the beginning and you jumped to a lot of conclusions but as the story unfolded, I found myself trying to figure out which way the writers were going. The storyline was surprising. As for the acting, I can honestly say that all of the actors were superb, especially Anthony LaPaglia, who is an incredible actor and who did an amazing job with his character. You felt as if you were right there with him. kudos to the whole cast on this fine movie.

Psychological crime-drama from Australia has married police detective Anthony LaPaglia, who's been having an extra-marital affair, investigating the disappearance of a woman who had suspected her husband of cheating on her. Well-directed film from Ray Lawrence builds steadily in intensity, while screenwriter Andrew Bovell, who adapted his own play, has a nice ear for realistic dialogue exchanges and gritty character conflict. Bovell unfortunately isn't quite as adept at bringing this case study to a satisfying full-circle, and by the finale some viewers may find it has all been a lot of hot air. Either way, the performers cannot be faulted, as LaPaglia and Barbara Hershey are both terrific. Tightly-wound and absorbing, "Lantana" is a real sleeper and worth a rental for mystery buffs. *** from ****

The movie surprised me not in that it was good, which it was but I was expecting that, but the dynamics of all the characters.

The intertwining plot was played out beautifully on screen and all the characters were portrayed brilliantly by all the actors. I didn't realize for the longest time that Anthony LaPahglia was NOT American and in fact an Aussie. Go him!

Love Geoffrey Rush anyway and he did a great job as the mysterious and suspected husband. The relationships portrayed in the film come across as so real and true that it's sometimes difficult to remember that none of the people are ACTUALLY married.

All in all, great film, great ensemble cast, great writing, directing, etc. View and be happy.

Somewhat interesting but nothing to get excited about. More a study in psychology than a mystery movie. Infidelity and confusion between neighbors is the basis of the whole thing. Barely any mention of the child the actual description talks about, more chatter of unfaithfulness than anything. Rather disappointed.

Just saw a screening of Lantana last night. Lantana is ostensibly a mystery-drama about the disappearance of a psychiatrist, Barbara Hersey, that is investigated by a flawed-but-not-bad cop, Anthony LaPaglia. The movie creates almost half a dozen truly believable characters with very real motivations and actions. Unfortunately, that in and of itself does not a great movie make. The 'mystery' isn't all that interesting and really just serves as a way to connect all the characters. Each of the characters is dealing with some kind of emotional trauma that is causing them difficulty - the cheating cop, the psychiatrist whose child died, the cop's frustrated and lonely wife, the desperate 'other woman'. Again though, their traumas while believable just aren't all that interesting. So, in the end a half dozen fabulous performances are for naught as the script leaves their characters without a single memorable moment. The film never really builds tension or drama, as the facts are revealed we are neither shocked or disappointed - very... blah. A movie I doubt I'll remember in a few days time.