Lantana (Australia/Germany; 121min.) directed by: Ray Lawrence starring: Anthony LaPaglia; Geoffrey Rush; Barbara Hershey; Kerry Armstrong

Diane says: "An excruciating round robin of infidelities in Sydney, combined with a murder mystery. For some reason, I was expecting a lighter film, but there's no respite to be had here. "Lantana" is striking in its manipulation of the viewer through false clues, over and over again via editing and camerawork. How many times did I think I was one step ahead of the game, only to be jarringly disproved. "It occurred to me halfway through that LANTANA, with its plot twists and connected characters, would make a great novel--odd thought. It is based on the play "Speaking in Tongues," which was Off-B'way until recently, I believe. "I was surprised that the ending affirms a high moral ground, which I can't go into without spoilers. "I'm looking at noms for best adapted, and best cast." 5 cats

Hilary says: "I was thoroughly impressed by the film -- finely crafted suspense, a great slow burn. Anthony LaPaglia and Kerry Armstrong were standouts for me. (Barbara Hershey is getting really frightening; I detect silicone abuse elsewhere than her lips.) "I -was- expecting something 'heavy' and it certainly delivers. I was kept guessing througout and enjoyed every minute."

Jim says: "One of my favorite films at Telluraide was LANTANA, Australia/Germany 2001. Introduced by the director, Ray Lawrence and the star Anthony LaPaglia this is the story of four sets of married couples. A thriller set against a background of infidelity and secrets it does not rely on the ususal cop drama cliches. Strong performances by LaPaglia, Barbara Hershey and Geoffrey Rush."

Laura says: "Director Lawrence also gets finely nuanced performances from a cast portraying a wide cross section of society. Lapaglia remains front and center and grounds the film with his best performance in years as his initial inability to feel slowly dissolves. Hershey's descent into despair is palpable, as her professional way of coping with her daughter's death (she wrote a book about the experience) doesn't jibe with the personal. Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush, strangely, is the weakest link of the ensemble, presenting too much of a blank slate. Rachel Blake is almost playful as the adventurous Jane while Kerry Armstrong, although still sexy, is a more mature, responsible woman as Sonja. Leah Purcell, in her first feature role, adds in a small role as Leon's partner Claudia and also enjoys the most charming and unexpected cross-connection." 3 1/2 cats For Laura's complete review: "http://www.reelingreviews.com/lantana.htm"

Michael says: "Hmmm... well... I really liked this movie a lot. It was really, really good. Solidly written with really top notch acting. "That said, I didn't find it to be outstanding. Not sure what it was missing... as I said, it was really good. A smart movie. One thing that may have made a difference between my reaction and those who really loved it was the main character. I found Leon to be really quite despicable. I realize that the point of the film was for his character to essentially be broken out of the numbness of his life, but there were just SO many instances where he acted in a reprehensible manner. It was tough for me to care about him. "Actually, my favorite character in this tale... the one who I'd love to see another movie of this same story told from their point-of-view, was Claudia, Leon's partner. I loved her. I didnt' find the twists and turns all that surprising... I never really thought Geoffrey Rush's character was having an affair with Patrick. "I didn't really think Nik killed Valerie. Although I must say I didn't really know how they were going to resolve the story, and found it to be quite plausible and well-done, if not tragic. "Still, despite the heightened emotions of the characters, I was never really all that emotionally involved, which is a shame. Still, it was a smart film with great performances... Very adult. Something you don't see too often in movies nowadays." 3 1/2 cats

Stephen says: "LANTANA works so well because it does not try to make us like its characters (or dislike them) by airbrushing away their imperfections and inconsistencies. We get to know Leon as a hard-nosed professional who is a bit of a bigot, but we also clearly feel empathy for the internal pain his dissatisfaction causes him. We are also called on to respond to all the other characters in similarly complex ways. The film will not satisfy anyone not adult enough to grow beyond the need for cinematic explosions and genre certainties. For the rest of us though, it's like an oasis in the desert of Hollywood clichés." For Stephen's complete review: "http://www.stephenbrophy.org/review/ind/lantana.html"