LANTANA
Released: June 8, 2001
The film opens with a lingering shot inside some heavy bushes where we come across the body of a woman. Lantana bushes, ,to be precise. What follows isn't so much as a murder mystery getting solved as an examination of relationships and, even those considered small or inconsequential, and how we touch the lives people we encounter. Fate, chance, luck or bad luck converge here just as in real life. People's fears, suspicions and prejudices all collide. In this case, a labyrinth of fate brings a diverse group of people into each other's lives. Yet it's not done in a typically forced Hollywood way. Shot in Australia and starring mostly Aussie actors, "Lantana" is a reminder of what's missing in American film. Anthony LaPaglia plays a cop on the verge of both a mental breakdown and a heart attack assigned to the case of the missing woman. He ends up coming onto contact with various people as he tries to solve the case. It's messy because principle people involved might already be part of his life in the oddest ways, often the kind of ways meant to be private. I wont reveal further plot details because you really should see this without any previous revelations. Strong support comes from Aussies Geoffrey Rush, Kerry Armstrong, Rachael Blake, Peter Phelps, Leah Purcell, Vince Colosimo and Daniela Farinacci. The lone American actor Barbara Hershey meshes perfectly with the rest of the cast and reveals her best work since acting opposite Michael Douglas in "Falling Down" (1993). From Aussie director Ray Lawrence, whom I suspect we'll be seeing more of in the future. Written by Andrew Bovell and based on his stage play.
121 Minutes
Beyond Films/Lions Gate Films