This is a damn great flick that came from nowhere out of Australia, it seems. I know a few people here have seen it. Anthony LaPaglia is great. He played Simon on Frasier, and I didn't realize it until I read about it on IMDb. Now THAT is range. I think the man is so underused and underappreciated after seeing this and remembering Frasier. I'd like to hunt down more stuff with him in it.
The film examines the interlinking between different people and their relationships and various infidelities, and the disappearance of one key character. It's got that whole Magnolia/American Beauty/Happiness/Short Cuts tone going for it, which is always great, and it's got Barbara Hershey and Geoffrey Rush as well.
There are so many great moments in this film, one of which I really remember: Leon (LaPaglia) is running and he slams into another guy and explodes, yelling at him. Both their faces are bloodied, the other man's nose possibly broken. Leon sees the man has dropped a bag, and feeling bad, he runs after him and gets it and tries to smooth things over. And the man (full grown, strong, goatee and everything) just breaks down and starts crying in Leon's arms. And I haven't seen anything like that since Brando in Last Tango in Paris. My jaw dropped open, it was so real, so powerful. Later on, Leon meets John, the man whose wife he's having an affair with, unbeknownst to him. They share drinks, and discuss the incident in the bathroom, wondering what it would take for someone to cry like that. It gets even better when the scene was paralleled later on in the movie when Leon cries upon hearing a tape where his wife professes she still loves him (long story; see the film to understand it). So yeah, great flick; anyone else seen it? ***½/**** (8/10)
Yes, it's a very good film. The performances were excellent and the story was so great because it really wasn't about a murder case. It's about love and marriage. Two Thumbs Way Up for me for "Lantana". :yabbse-thumbup: :yabbse-thumbup:
I am a sucker for intertwined stories, but also felt that Lantana was done very well, it is a shame it didnt receive more attention
Indeed. I picked it up on a whim, without even reading the back of the case (I'm a LaPaglia fan) and was just fucking blown away. Incredible performances, great writing...wow.
Yeah, what a classic that no one will ever see...
I got to see the last hour of it once and I'm still itching to finish it. From what I saw it looked phenomenal...
aw
this is so several years ago.
yeah it's ekzellent.
Missed it on the big screen, rented it right away when it came out on DVD. I remember really liking it, but feeling that it didn't live up to my expectations, which I admit were entirely unreasonable because everyone whose opions I trust had been raving about it for so long. Still, I'd recommend it highly.
P.S. I thought Barbara Hershey was really wonderful, as she can be when given a juicier/more significant part. Nice to see her in one of those again.
Quote from: godardianP.S. I thought Barbara Hershey was really wonderful, as she can be when given a juicier/more significant part. Nice to see her in one of those again.
i know u've been away a while, but for future reference when u feel like "editing" ur post by adding sumthin to it only a few minutes later, u might want to use the (https://xixax.com/templates/xixmac/images/lang_english/icon_edit.gif) function. thanksabunch.
i went ahead and edited it for u myself godardian. its like when u test drive a car, the car salesman has to pull it out of the dealership lot before u test drive it urself, u see?
ahh that looks better. oh yea, welcome back godard.
Just saw it. Brilliant, absolutely BRILLIANT! Best film of 2001. Films dealing with intertwining stories don't get much better then this. It's an unrecognised gem that nobody should miss. Why did I wait so long to see it? Why?!?
Lantana is without a doubt one of the best Australian dramas in recent years. It's right up there with Rabbit-Proof Fence, which I thought was wonderful.
Out of interest, has anyone seen the play that Lantana was based on [titled Speaking in Tongues]?