Lantana

Preview Screening

Lantana is a slow burn movie, the type of psychological drama we don't see much of anymore, harking back to the films of the `70s. To describe the story of the film as that of Leon Zat (Anthony LaPlaglia), a police detective cheating on his wife who becomes involved in a missing persons case, does it a great disservice. The film explores the lives of four couples in Sydney, Australia, and the way these people connect throughout the course of the film.

Lantana derives its title from the bush of the same name that has small, colourful, exotic blooms, but has a dense, thorny undergrowth hidden beneath the surface. We see the plant often throughout the film, which serves as a symbol for the characters and their stories. Leon is worried about his relationship with his wife, who is secretly visiting a therapist about their marriage. The therapist is concerned about herself and her husband, after their daughter was murdered, and with a patient whose sessions disturb her. Leon's one night stand, Jane, is recently separated, feels lost in her new single world, and upsets the balance of her relationship with the neighbours. All these people present a public face, but hide the true nature of their problems.

The way people perceive each other and themselves is central to the film, a conceit that is played upon with the audience. The film leads us to believe our own perceptions about the characters, while subverting those ideas as the film progresses. The actors do a fine job of letting us inside the characters by not 'Acting', but allowing themselves to inhabit the roles, wallowing in the telling pauses and refraining from making speeches when they talk. The film doesn't explain everything neatly, and moments that would usually turn to melodrama are left abruptly, to leave an imprint in the viewers mind. This naturalistic manner adds to the realism of the film, the events unfolding like real life, without resolution or clean-cut answers. The story takes its time to develop, but never feels slow or laborious. The seemingly unrelated characters eventually come together and interact, to contrast with the isolation each character feels on their own. `Lantana' is a fine film, a perfect antidote to the mindless and shallow blockbuster that has dirtied our cinematic palates.

Rating: DAVE