A thicket of purple lantana blossoms fills up the screen, while
a busy bee buzzes on by. As the camera zooms in and begins its
slow descent, the chirping of the crickets become more noticeable,
and the dense intertwining wooden shrubbery cast a gloomy pall
to the surrounding. With the little light that does filter through
the foliage, the camera pans around, and we are able to discern
ever so slowly the lifeless body of a woman. Such is the opening
scene of Lantana, a wonderfully layered film about
the complexities of love and marriage, with the added bonus
of an intriguing whodunit murder mystery.
Lantana
focuses on two married couples, facing some of the most pressing
issues any relationship has to deal with trust and
infidelity. Detective Leon Zat (Anthony Lapaglia) is having
an affair with Jane (Rachael Blake), and is his wife Sonja
(Kerry Armstrong) suspects something. She is torn between
denial and straightforward confrontation, so she secretly
sees a psychiatrist, Dr. Valerie Somers (Barbara Hershey).
The sessions between the women become the initial link that
leads into the other thread of narrative. Valerie is married
to John (Geoffrey Rush). With years in a waning marriage,
compounded by the loss of their only daughter, the two begin
to evaluate their relationship. They say, I love you,
but wonder if theyre still emotionally truthful in saying
the words. Then, there are also supporting characters that
add to Lantanas colorful bouquet, including
Janes separated husband and her neighbors who seem to
have everything going well for them.
Lantana
then shifts gears when Dr. Valerie Somers disappears without
a trace. As if the complexities of marriage arent enough,
they add a puzzling twist to the story. Was it her husband
who decided it was finally enough? Was it Valeries easy
way out of a rut? Was it a disgruntled client of hers? Or
was there someone else?
Just like
intertwining stems, these characters cross paths as they tread
through the web of suspicion and deception.
The first
half of the movie is a complex and insightful evaluation of
marriage, with its many scenes of intimate discussions and
heated exchanges. Raw emotions emanate from the screen as
these characters question, regret and blame each other over
their state of affairs. With a great screenplay, Lantana
feels very authentic. The second half supplements the mysteries
of marriage, by making it a mystery in a more physical sense.
Valeries disappearance is a mere catalyst to the overall
sense of deceit and secrecy. Lantana has a truly
wonderful cast. Anchored by very strong performances as expected
from Lapaglia, Hershey and Rush, it is the unfamiliar faces
that stood out, namely Kerry Armstrong and Rachael Blake.
With an
Altman-esque crisscross interaction and a Kieslowski-esque
play on coincidences, Lantana is a great film,
despite a late bloom in December. It is smarter than most
murder mysteries and just as engrossing as any film about
adultery. Lantana could have stuck with just one
genre, but effectively combines both. Go ahead and take a
whiff of Lantana.
Running
time is 121 minutes. Film is Not Rated, but if I were to rate
it, Id give it an R rating for adult theme and sexuality.
Mazzyboi
RATING: 4
out of 5
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