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Like lantant, deceit spreads like a weed
Lantana is
one of the best Australian dramas in
years. Good, but
fundamentally sad, it's a character-based
film about a number of interwoven
dysfunctional couples. There is a
storyline but it plays a secondary
role. The film
begins ominously with a body in the bush
before moving on to a couple having sex.
The couple turns out to be Leon (Anthony
LePaglia) and Jane (Rachel Blake), and
it's a one-night stand. Leon, the
film's central character, is an adulterous
and self-destructive detective. His wife
Sonja (Kerry Armstrong), aware that the
marriage is in trouble, consults a
celebrated psychologist, Dr Valerie Somers
(Barbara Hershey), who in turn is having
problems with her husband, John Knox
(Geoffrey Rush), and a client (Peter
Phelps). Everyone
is pained, nobody is particularly honest
and deceit is rife. The main
plot device is the disappearance of
Valerie, with the prime suspect being
Jane's neighbour. The
screenplay is written by Andrew Bovell,
based on his own play, Speaking in
Tongues. The
beautifully drawn script catalogues a
range of male weaknesses in an understated
and sometimes poignant manner. Scenes are
ripe with awkward moments and brutal
honesty. Director
Ray Lawrence uses tension to great effect,
especially when we get close to finding
out what happened to Valerie. But this
is not a thriller. If it were, it would be
a lesser production. The cast
is not to be faulted. LaPaglia puts in a
strong performance, conveying Leon's
turmoil and deceit without resorting to
pathos. Rush too compounds the frailties
of the male psyche in a way that makes you
want to weep. Hershey
and Armstrong beautifully portray
vulnerability and strength. The film's
only sympathetic character is Jane's
estranged husband Pete (Russell Coight's
Glen Robbins). He's a nice guy getting a
raw deal. Lantana
won't cheer you up but it is a richly
rewarding film. 4 1/2 out
of 5. Back
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