Lantana, the critically acclaimed Australian box-office smash, is an Altman-esque psychological drama that carefully weaves together the lives of four suburban couples living outside of Sydney. Taking its title -and its theme - from a tropical plant with colorful blooms that hide dense thorny undergrowth, Lantana is unflinchingly realistic in its portrayal of love and marriage that brilliantly conceal an underbelly of deceit, guilt and loss. The main character is Leon (Anthony LaPaglia), a police officer who suffers from chest pains and an overriding sense of hopelessness regarding his life with wife Sonja (Kerry Armstrong) and their two teenaged sons. Valerie (Barbara Hershey) is a wealthy therapist whose 11-year old daughter was brutally murdered two years earlier. She is bound by grief and growing paranoia to her academic husband, John (Geoffrey Rush), who she suspects is having a homosexual affair with one of her patients. Paula (Daniella Farinacci) and Nik (Vince Colosimo) are a working-class couple who live next door to Jane (Rachael Blake), a recently separated sprite who is having an affair with Leon. Directed by Ray Lawrence (Bliss) and based on a stage-play by Andrew Bovell, the film raises significant questions: Can we ever be genuinely honest with the people closest to us? Or is truthfulness only possible among strangers? In the age of the absurdly short attention span, Lantana is refreshing: a meticulously crafted film that plays out at a deliberately gradual pace. It is blessed with exquisitely nuanced performances from Lapaglia and Armstrong. Also worth a mention is the clever supporting performance of Leah Purcell, who plays Leon's detective partner. Lantana swept the Australian Film Institute Awards (the equivalent of the Oscars, down under), taking home Best Picture, Director, Screenplay and four acting awards. Don't miss it.
- Catherine Wise
