Rating: 
Summary: Almost 5 stars....
Review: Lantana was quietly lauded as one of the year's best films, and it is a finely crafted effort from director Ray Lawrence. Set in Australia, its symbolism is reflected in the lantana bush, a beautiful flowering plant that is almost a supporting character in the movie. The lantana, I am told, can be controlled and cultivated to make a lovely garden, if it is nurtured. Left to its own devices, it grows out of control. Such are the relationships in this film, many of which teeter on the brink, and some that end due to neglect, confusion and frustration.Lantana is a tale of four marriages - and the beginning of a love affair. All can be nurtured back to health, if the parties desire, but all are nearly extinguished in the film. There is a serendipity in the coincidental intertwinings of the characters (yes, ala Robert Altman!). The central character, Leon Zat, played by Anthony LaPaglia, is frustrated and angry as his marriage and career become meaningless to him. LaPaglia is the reason I gave the film only four stars. He's been a favorite of mine, and although his performance is credible, Lawrence needed
a central figure whose chemistry with the ensemble made the need, past love and dialogue believable. LaPaglia does a workmanlike job, but the film could have been a classic with Tim Robbins, Sean Penn, or Kevin Spacey (I nominate him for every good leading role!) who could have created the onscreen heat with wife Sonja (the sensuous and talented Kerry Armstrong), lover Jane (Rachael Blake in a strong performance), and his partner, Claudia (Leah Purcell is luminous. Leon's a cop, and the film opens with a jolting view of a hidden body. We know it is a woman, but which one? Later in the film we meet Jane's estranged husband - her neighbors Nik and Paula, and another central couple - Dr. Somers (Barbara Hershey) and John Knox (Geoffrey Rush) as a psychologist who treats Sonja; grieving with John over the loss of a murdered daughter. Rush and Hershey are impeccable as a couple, and new comers Vince Colosimo and Danielle Farinacci ( Nik and Paula)shine in the film. Their sense of love and trust, despite betrayal, make the viewers finally believe in married love again. A unique love story wrapped around a murder mystery, Lantana also explores, in brief, the relationships between the men in the cast - in an honest and thought provoking way. Although it may evolve too slowly for some, Lantana is a lush, visual portrayal of the nature of married love as it ages; and leaves you with both a sense of renewal and pain. I look forward to more films by Lawrence.
Rating: 
Summary: I just may be the only one who didn't like it...
Review: I always have a hard time connecting to these big ensemble pieces dealing with marital relationships. For example, I always thought "The Ice Storm" was missing something, and even parts of the mostly intriguing "Magnolia" seemed a little hackneyed. So coming out of Ray Lawrence's "Lantana", I wasn't in the least bit surprised to find myself completely unmoved. Dr. Valerie Somers (Barbara Hershey) is a psychiatrist and author of a book about her daughter's death (entitled "Elanor"). One night, she disappears off of the main road. Detective Leon Zat (Anthony LaPaglia), whose wife Sonja (Kerry Armstrong) visits Dr. Somers regularly to talk about their relationship, is called in to investigate the case. The problem with that is thus: the main suspect is the neighbor of the woman he is having an affair with (Jane O'May, played by Rachael Blake). He constantly grills Dr. Somers' husband John Knox (Geoffrey Rush) to find out more about his wife's "emotional state". I think that is enough for me to say before I ruin some of the film's few surprises. "Lantana" is undoubtedly a strongly acted film. Kerry Armstrong and Geoffrey Rush in particular, who for the most part are at the receiving end of the emotional blows, are solid. Barbara Hershey, Rachael Blake and Anthony LaPaglia also bring the film to a slightly higher level. The film is also well shot. The film's opening shots, first of a lantana bush then zooming in on a lifeless body, are eerie and almost haunting. However, although the cinematography of "Lantana" is well crafted, there are continuous long, lazy shots of this lantana bush that appear one too many times and push its symbolism way too much. That was a thorn in the side of crafty, although not all together innovative, cinematography. The plotting of "Lantana" is, to be honest, complex and intricate. However, it is this intricacy that ultimately proves to be the film's downfall. It seems it would rather be content with weaving in and out of various relationships than letting us connect with any of them. We know how the relationships stack up, but we have no feeling for any of it. We are told how the characters feel about each other, but since the development of each one is so rushed, we can know nothing about the individuals. Yet, by the end, "Lantana" expects us to care deeply about each person, even those ones who have little significance in the big picture. "Lantana" is a well controlled, almost masterfully handled film. Ray Lawrence knows exactly how he wants to get where he wants to go, but takes one too many shortcuts. I was involved with "Lantana", but was untouched by it; I walked out of the theater feeling cold. Films like this are often well done but are almost always forgetting one thing: that a relationship stems out of two individuals, the individuals cannot necessarily be defined by their relationships alone. In "Lantana", we do not get real human beings, instead merely shadows.
Rating:
Summary: complex, yet without closure
Review: I loved watching this movie, but was left at the end with a sense of "what was the point?" The acting was superb, and perhaps I was dense to miss the point, but the interweaving of stories was a pleasure to observe. I just wish I had a clearer understanding of the closure at the end of the picture as I had hoped.
Rating: 
Summary: Highest Quality Film
Review: Not for everyone, this film is a must for adults committed to making their relationships work, despite difficult circumstances. Plausibility aside, what is NOT spoken, and inference are powerful influences in the unfolding of the story, and the many inter-relationships examined in this film. This is a great addition to a DVD library; it retains all of its power through several viewings, and is quality entertainment to share with important guests. It earns my highest recommendation.
Rating:
Summary: very satisfying, totally engrossing
Review: This movie fills your cup. Good acting, good plot development.
Intrigue that won't let up. The cast is impeccable in their roles and the interaction between characters is so good you forget your watching a movie but get drawn right into this thriller in which the basic components of the human character become unravelled in the presence of deceit, jealousy, grief and lack of trust. In the course of this unravelling, that happens to most of the major characters in one way or another, we see how these individuals fare in their effort to resolve major psychological and interpersonal issues that they are confronted with in their complex and intertwined interactions. I don't want to say too much because it's definitely best to see this one with a "clean slate". Suffice it to say it's non-predictable, very well-acted, and stays on a high level of interest. The soundtrack is also very tasteful and appropriate.
Rating:
Summary: Over rated
Review: I'm not sure if I was watching the same film that the critics gave several awards to in Australia last year. Anyone giving this more than an average review is far too generous. This is another new release with great credentials, stars like, Anthony LaPaglia, Geoffrey Rush and Barbara Hershey. They should bring some magic to the screen, and they tried but it didn't make it. Lantana is set somewhere in Australia. An accident turns into a murder investigation; the investigating cop is having an affair, his wife is going to a shrink because she suspects her husband is cheating on her and the shrink winds up dead. A who did it with a few good twists but it's not of the caliber of "Insomnia", staring Al Pacino and Robin Williams. Take the [money] for the Lantana DVD and surf Amazon for a better mystery. Try 12 Angry Men (1957 ASIN: B000056HEC) and Absence of Malice (1981 ASIN: 0767804325) you can buy them together for a few dollars more than Lantana and you would have added two classics in your collection.
Rating:
Summary: Absorbing drama
Review: I knew little about this film before I saw it, and it was a pleasant surprise. It's set in Australia, where a collection of couples from different walks of life come into and out of each other's lives. The movie examines modern marriages and trust...which is strained in most of these relationships. One of the characters disappears, but this situation is used to help deepen our understanding of the characters, not just as a cheap plot twist. The acting is terrific, especially Anthony Lapagia, who finally gets to use his true Australian accent. Some of the others actors were unfamiliar to me, but did a great job. The movie relies on a number of coincidences between characters (which is probably why some reviewers are comparing it to "Magnolia"), and a bit of suspension of disbelief is required. I found the movie extremely intriguing and it carried my attention throughout. However, it is quite slow-moving, and I think that some viewers may be bored at times. Overall, I really enjoyed this very low-key film, and I think that patient viewers in the mood for a drama that examines adult relationships will like it also.
Rating:
Summary: a Good 6 Degrees of Seperation type of film!
Review: this Film was truly 6 Degrees of it's Characters.interesting Vibe within all the folks involved.the only thing that Hurt it was the fact that there wasn't much Mystery&everything gonna is predictable.Anthony Lapaglia was Alright.He is a Good Actor but something always keeps Him from given that KnockOut Performance to me.the pacing of the film moves along alright.I'd say this film was between a 3&Half to a 4.it's a Good watch but Missing a Stronger Mystery Element from being a Must see.still worth a Strong Watch.
Rating:
Summary: Very pleasant surprise
Review: This one flew completely under the radar for me when it was in the theaters. It's great. Some off the top of my head points of comparison: It's like Magnolia in that its a semi-interconnected ensemble, but it's less
long and plodding. It's like Go and Pulp Fiction in that it's somewhat puzzle-like, but
it's not interested in being wacky or youthful. And it's got some of the bleak sexuality
and wistfulness of Mulholland Drive without being completely inscrutable.
Rating:
Summary: Great film.....
Review: The film is a wonderful, insightful, character-driven piece, but this review speaks to Amazon's listing of the DVD as having commentary -- it does not. Beware of this before purchasing.
|
