Lantana (2002)

NEUTRAL

Netflix, Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, Lionsgate, Google Play, YouTube, Microsoft Store, FandangoNOW, Redbox, DirecTV, AMC+

88%

2001, Drama, 2h 1m

RT Critics’ Score: 90% (UNBIASED)
RT Audience Score: 82%
Awards & Nominations: 36 wins & 22 nominations

Click to Stream

Critics Consensus

Lantana is a film that delves into the complexities of human relationships and the fragility of marriage, all while keeping the audience on the edge of their seats with its suspenseful plot. The ensemble cast delivers powerful performances that bring to life the intricacies of each character, leaving a lasting impression on the viewer. While some may criticize the film for its soap opera-like exposition, it is undeniable that Lantana is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant work of art that showcases the best of Australian cinema. It is a true gem that should not be missed.

Audience Consensus

Lantana” is like a juicy soap opera, but with better acting and a more sophisticated plot. It’s a movie that will keep you guessing until the very end, and make you question your own relationships. The ensemble cast is fantastic, and the way their stories intertwine is masterful. It’s a must-watch for anyone who loves a good mystery and wants to see some top-notch Australian filmmaking. Plus, it’s got enough drama to make even the most avid soap opera fan happy.

Storyline

The intertwined stories of a loosely tied set of mostly emotionally damaged individuals in Sydney are told. Police detective Leon Zat and his wife Sonja Zat probably still love each other but have not stated to each other the problems that have invaded their marriage. Those problems not only affect their relationship, but also the way they parent their two teenage sons. Leon’s single partner, Detective Claudia Weis, can probably most clearly see those problems, but is not equipped to be a good informal counselor to him in she considering the eye contact with another regular at the diner she frequents as being a somewhat committed relationship. A bundle of repressed emotions, Leon vents through mostly inappropriate acts of aggression, and having just embarked in an extramarital affair with Jane O’May, the recently separated woman in the same salsa dance class as him and Sonja. Jane initiated that separation from her husband, Pete O’May, in coming to the realization one day that she no longer loved him for whatever reason. Jane still craves human connection, she who may view her affair with Leon differently than him. The O’Mays’ marital problems affect their next door neighbors, Nik and Paula D’Amato, who are friends with both and do not want to betray one in helping the other. Nik and Paula are outwardly happy despite their financial problems, with unemployed Nik looking after their three preschool age children while Paula works double shifts to put food on the table. Regardless, Nik still needs his respite away from that role as stay-at-home dad. Sonja’s emotional outlet is being in therapy with Dr. Valerie Somers, something that she has not told Leon. Valerie is overcoming her own grief in her then eleven year old daughter, Eleanor Knox, having been found murdered eighteen months ago. While she wrote a just published book about Eleanor as a process to deal with her grief, Valerie’s husband, law professor John Knox, quietly says he will do anything to support her. The murder has undoubtedly affected their marriage in a certain emotional and physical distance having formed between them. Among Valerie’s clients is gay Patrick Phelan, who is dealing with the extramarital affair he is having with a man in a heterosexual marriage. Valerie’s own problems with John affect the way she deals with Patrick, who can see her dislike of him but may not understand the full extent of the reason. These collective stories become even more intertwined when one within this collective goes missing, foul play suspected. What happens in the investigation is affected by the emotional issues each of the players is dealing with beyond the fact of that person being missing.

Production Company(ies)
Ealing Studios, Michael Balcon Productions,

Distributor
Lionsgate Films

Release Type

Filming Location(s)
Balmain, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language and sexuality

Year of Release
2002

Technical Specs

Color:

Color
Sound mix:

Dolby Digital
Aspect ratio:

2.35 : 1
Runtime:

2h 1m
Language(s):

English, Spanish
Country of origin:

United States
Release date:

Release Date (Theaters): Jan 25, 2002 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 21, 2002

Genre(s)
Drama

Keyword(s)
starring Anthony LaPaglia, Geoffrey Rush, Barbara Hershey, Kerry Armstrong, Rachael Blake, Vince Colosimo, directed by Ray Lawrence, written by Andrew Bovell, drama, R rating, Lionsgate Films, Jan Chapman produced, Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR sound mix, Scope (2.35:1) aspect ratio, $4.5M box office gross USA, reviewed by Marrit Ingman, Nev Pierce, Mark Caro, Roger Moore, Rita Kempley, Moira MacDonald, Leigh Paatsch, Erik Anderson, PJ Nabarro, Patrick Nabarro, Christopher Smith, Jeffrey Overstreet, Thomas Delapa, intricately plotted, character study, authenticity, grief, murder, cheating, disappearance, mystery, love, sex, deceit, distrust, suspicion, relationships, marriage, guilt, depression, psychological drama, psychiatry, investigations, interactions, disconnections, betrayal

Box Office Details

Worldwide gross: $15,747,450
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $26,118,131
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,605
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,848,215

US/Canada gross: $4,623,189
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $7,667,848
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,689
US/Canada opening weekend: $66,701
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $110,628
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,898

Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA

Cast & Crew

Anthony LaPaglia

Geoffrey Rush

Barbara Hershey

Kerry Armstrong

Rachael Blake

Leon

John

Valerie

Sonja

Jane

Anthony LaPaglia – Leon
Geoffrey Rush – John
Barbara Hershey – Valerie
Kerry Armstrong – Sonja
Rachael Blake – Jane
Vince Colosimo – Nik
Director – Ray Lawrence
Producer – Jan Chapman
Writer – Andrew Bovell

Ray Lawrence

Andrew Bovell

Jan Chapman

Director

Writer

Producer

Director(s)
Ray Lawrence

Writer(s)
Andrew Bovell

Producer(s)
Jan Chapman

Film Festivals

Awards & Nominations
36 wins & 22 nominations

Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Marrit Ingman

Nev Pierce

Mark Caro

Roger Moore

Rita Kempley

Austin Chronicle

BBC.com

Chicago Tribune

Orlando Sentinel

Washington Post

LANTANA
All Critics (107) | Top Critics (36) | Fresh (96) | Rotten (11)
March 10, 2003 | Rating: 3/5

Marrit Ingman
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
August 5, 2002 | Rating: 5/5

Nev Pierce
BBC.com
TOP CRITIC
A meditation on fidelity in marriage where the suspense and surprises stem from who has — or hasn’t — been betraying each other and how.

July 20, 2002

Mark Caro
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Lawrence cast well and gets terrific performances all the way up and down the line.

March 7, 2002 | Rating: 4/5

Roger Moore
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
A perceptive, powerfully acted psychodrama.

February 3, 2002 | Rating: 4.5/5

Rita Kempley
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
The emotional experience of “Lantana” is heightened by its marvelous ensemble cast, all of whom etch a character in relatively brief screen time.

January 25, 2002

Moira MacDonald
Seattle Times
TOP CRITIC
Achieves an intelligence, eloquence and emotion that showcases Australian film at the height of its powers.

July 28, 2020 | Rating: 5/5

Leigh Paatsch
Herald Sun (Australia)
Lantana is an embarrassment of riches. Its beautiful storytelling as its thread of conflict and insinuation are used to expose unsettling truths. A real gem of rich performances that should not be overlooked.

April 7, 2020 | Rating: 3/4

Erik Anderson
AwardsWatch
It’s not entirely far-fetched to see a link between the clunky expositions of character, plot and theme from an everyday soap, to those in Lantana.

February 4, 2019 | Rating: 2/5

PJ Nabarro
Patrick Nabarro
As a mystery, “Lantana” is memorable. But as a study in human relationships and the human condition, it’s unforgettable.

December 1, 2005 | Rating: A

Christopher Smith
Bangor Daily News (Maine)
… boldly, thoroughly, and honestly explores the difficulties of unconditional love in a society that teaches us that we should never deny our base appetites and impulses.

January 15, 2005 | Rating: A-

Jeffrey Overstreet
Looking Closer
The sort of movie that highbrow critics love to overrate…It’s Married With Children for serious-minded folks without a sense of humor.

September 23, 2004

Thomas Delapa
Boulder Weekly…

Plot
The intertwined stories of a loosely tied set of mostly emotionally damaged individuals in Sydney are told. Police detective Leon Zat and his wife Sonja Zat probably still love each other but have not stated to each other the problems that have invaded their marriage. Those problems not only affect their relationship, but also the way they parent their two teenage sons. Leon’s single partner, Detective Claudia Weis, can probably most clearly see those problems, but is not equipped to be a good informal counselor to him in she considering the eye contact with another regular at the diner she frequents as being a somewhat committed relationship. A bundle of repressed emotions, Leon vents through mostly inappropriate acts of aggression, and having just embarked in an extramarital affair with Jane O’May, the recently separated woman in the same salsa dance class as him and Sonja. Jane initiated that separation from her husband, Pete O’May, in coming to the realization one day that she no longer loved him for whatever reason. Jane still craves human connection, she who may view her affair with Leon differently than him. The O’Mays’ marital problems affect their next door neighbors, Nik and Paula D’Amato, who are friends with both and do not want to betray one in helping the other. Nik and Paula are outwardly happy despite their financial problems, with unemployed Nik looking after their three preschool age children while Paula works double shifts to put food on the table. Regardless, Nik still needs his respite away from that role as stay-at-home dad. Sonja’s emotional outlet is being in therapy with Dr. Valerie Somers, something that she has not told Leon. Valerie is overcoming her own grief in her then eleven year old daughter, Eleanor Knox, having been found murdered eighteen months ago. While she wrote a just published book about Eleanor as a process to deal with her grief, Valerie’s husband, law professor John Knox, quietly says he will do anything to support her. The murder has undoubtedly affected their marriage in a certain emotional and physical distance having formed between them. Among Valerie’s clients is gay Patrick Phelan, who is dealing with the extramarital affair he is having with a man in a heterosexual marriage. Valerie’s own problems with John affect the way she deals with Patrick, who can see her dislike of him but may not understand the full extent of the reason. These collective stories become even more intertwined when one within this collective goes missing, foul play suspected. What happens in the investigation is affected by the emotional issues each of the players is dealing with beyond the fact of that person being missing.

Trivia