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Lantana opens with camera panning down through a tangle of shrubs to reveal the dead body of a woman, stockings ripped and one shoe missing. Immediately drawn to this image we are led to wonder who the dead woman is and to wonder how she died and who killed her but rather than this being merely a thriller it is also a highly intelligent and very rewarding examination of troubled marriage. The title Lantana perhaps doesnt translate well to most countries outside of Australia. It is never explained during the movie, which is a bit of a shame, because Lantana (the name of the tropical shrub which surrounds the deceased) is used as a metaphor for the web of tangled relationships portrayed throughout this film.

At the centre of the plot is Leon Zat (Anthony LaPaglia), a burnt-out forty something Sydney police detective. Over-weight and troubled by chest pains, he is conducting an affair with a woman by the name of Jane OMay (Rachael Blake), who is separated from her husband. Meanwhile, unbeknown to Leon, his unhappy wife, Sonja (Kerry Armstrong) is seeing a therapist, Valerie (Barbara Hershey) about their troubled marriage. However, Valeries own marriage is also in crisis: Following the death of her 11-year-old daughter her husband (Geoffrey Rush) no longer engages in sexual relations and appears to deliberately avoid spending time with her, whilst often working late at the office. Leading Valerie to suspect her husband of a homosexual affair with one of her clients, Michael, who appears to be baiting her.

A third couple are also central to the plot and become embroiled in the tangled web; unemployed Nik (Vince Colosimo) and his wife (Keira Wingate) live with their kids next door to Leons mistress, Jane. Nik is friendly with Janes estranged husband, Pete (Glen Robbins) but overlooks Janes affair, on the advice of his wife, when he spots Leon leaving his mates house. Meanwhile two other relationships between gay Michael and his married lover and Leons police partner and a mystery stranger also play out in this beautifully judged, thoughtful and well-written movie, adapted by Andrew Bovell from his original stage play, Speaking in Tongues.

Not only is Lantana well-written and well-directed but it has depth. At its core are the central themes of trust, grief, fidelity, betrayal and redemption. Anthony LaPaglia (The Client, So I Married An Axe Murderer), Geoffrey Rush, Barbara Hershey and Kerry Armstrong all give great performances, subtly conveying a broad range of emotions throughout the course of the movie. In particular, LaPaglia, an Australian perhaps best known for his TV appearances (Murder One, Frasier, Without A Trace) and whom I previously assumed was Italian-American, is superb as Leon and it is his uncompromising performance that is at the core of this excellent film.

Ray Lawrence, an Aussie TV commercials director must take enormous credit too for the pace and balance of the movie, as well as the performances, which are all pitch-perfect. Lantana is at once a psychological thriller/drama, an essay in love, and an intelligent examination of human relationships, marriage and fidelity. After making this little gem of a movie, lets just hope that Ray Lawrence doesnt wait another 17 years before making his next one.

Totally compelling, Lantana kept me hooked throughout every moment of its two-hour minute running time. If youre open minded and looking for something intelligent, this absorbing and superbly acted Australian drama that shouldnt be missed.

Australian policeman Leon Zat (Anthony LaPaglia) is a man stumbling through life. He is in poor health, he is cheating on his wife Sonja (Kerry Armstrong), and can no longer relate to his sons and their problems. Sonja, having her own problems, seeks the help of a psychiatrist named Valerie (Barbara Hershey). Valerie has just written a book that chronicles the death of her young daughter. Valeries husband John (Geoffrey Rush) is distant, but hiding an inner anger. At one point in the film, Valerie confronts him, telling him that hes not dealing with their daughters death at all. He tells her that he is, he just doesnt have to write a book about it.

Zats lover Jane (Racheal Blake) is a strange woman who is separated from her husband. She wants nothing to do with him. Living next door to Jane is the only happily married couple in the film, Nik and Paula. Or are they really happily married?

The characters and the situation Ive described sounds like a bad soap opera. Far from it. Director Ray Lawrence takes all of these seemingly unrelated characters and shows us not only what they have in common, but how our lives can turn out if were not careful.

It is surprising how easy the plot is to follow with all these characters. Youre never sitting there watching the film thinking, "Now, who is this man?" Concentrate instead on what the characters are thinking and feeling. By doing this, you can tap into the depth of the characters and their sad and sometimes tragic lives. Lantana is, if nothing else, a powerful look into the potential darkness that hides in each of us. But the film is much more.

Lantana is not as interested in solving the mystery of who was killed and why as it is in bringing the audience to understand whats going on in the heads of these amazingly lifelike characters. Lantana is an amazing film. Its not a flashy film, but youll think about it long after the final scene, which by the way is a microcosm of the entire film. Amazing stuff.

Running time 2 hours 1 minute

A detective, played by Anthony LaPaglia, is having an affair. His wife is going to a psychiatrist, played by Barbara Hershey. This psychiatrist has suffered her own emotional upheaval. Two years before her 11-year-old daughter was murdered and now her husband, played by Geoffrey Rush, is emotionally distant. In spite of her training, shes judgmental about extramarital affairs and the subject of trust. Add to this mix a happily married couple with three small children who live next door to the woman the detective has romanced, a female cop who is full of good advice, and several other characters who are looking for emotional connection and we have an interesting plot about how paths cross and how were all connected.

And then one of the women disappears and murder is suspected. Everything quickens up as the murder investigation touches on each one of these peoples lives. Theres emotional upheaval throughout and the conclusion is logical and satisfying. I was swept into the story as well as the emotions. At times it felt so real that it became painful. The acting was outstanding and so was the directing. And by the end of the film I felt I personally knew all of the characters with all their strengths and weaknesses. Excellent drama and definitely recommended.