Lantana (2001)

Set in the middle-class inner-city Sydney suburbs of Balmain and The Rocks. Lantana stars beloved Aussie actors, including Geoffrey Rush and Kerrie Armstrong, as well as international star Barbara Hershey.

The film begins with the discovery of a woman’s body tangled in a lantana bush, sparking an investigation. The story then rewinds to unpack the lives of those involved, weaving together an ensemble cast across four interconnected couples whose relationships are falling apart under the weight of emotional distance and secrets.

Leon Zat (Anthony LaPaglia) is the emotionally detached homicide detective investigating the case.

He is cheating on his deeply unhappy wife, Sonja (Kerry Armstrong), and has a brief affair with Jane (Rachael Blake), who is separated from her husband, Pete (Glenn Robbins).

Jane lives next door to a struggling, working-class couple, Nik (Vince Colosimo) and Paula (Daniella Farinacci).

Meanwhile, prominent local psychiatrist Dr Valerie Somers (Barbara Hershey) and her academic husband, John Knox (Geoffrey Rush), are drowning in grief over the recent murder of their daughter. Valerie suspects John is keeping massive secrets from her.

When Valerie mysteriously vanishes after her car breaks down on a dark road, Detective Zat is tasked with solving her disappearance.

As he investigates, the overlapping threads of deceit, paranoia, and crossed paths pull all four couples into a web of suspicion and self-reflection.

Anthony LaPaglia worked with a dialect coach to regain his native Australian accent after years of working on American movies.

Detective Leon Zat
Anthony LaPaglia
Jane
Rachael Blake
Sonja Zat
Kerry Armstrong
Steve
Jon Bennett
Lisa
Melissa Martinez
Sam
Nicholas Cooper
Dylan
Marc Dwyer
Drug Dealer
Puven Pather
Claudia
Leah Purcell
Dr Valerie Somers
Barbara Hershey
John Knox
Geoffrey Rush
Patrick
Peter Phelps
Eleanor
Ashley Fitzgerald
Nik
Vince Colosimo
Paula
Daniela Farinacci
Hannah
Keira Wingate
Mystery Man
Russell Dykstra
Harry
Angus Cripps (1)
William Cripps (2)
Pete O’May
Glenn Robbins
Jacob
Jacomb Borra
Jose
Ben Mortley
Sarah
Gabriella Maselli
Newsreader
Richard Morecroft
Patrick’s Lover
Lani Tupu
Lover’s Wife
Lesley Hancock
Lover’s Child
Angus McGuigan

Director
Ray Lawrence

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