MovieChat Forums > Lantana (2002) Discussion > Impressions

Impressions

posted 22 years ago by mob61uk
10 replies | jump to latest

I think this is one of the best films I've seen this year.

It had my doubts at the beginning of the film, though. This
Australian thriller (described as Altmanesque, but it has a
completely different feel to it than say Short Cuts) - has a body at
its core, and a series of linked characters circling round - felt as
if it could just be a little too obvious - lacking depth. But
gradually, as the plots unfold, it begins to seep under the skin.
You begin to see the beauty of the film's construction, and the
subtlety of the performances. It becomes clear that this is a very
mature film, which is simple and profound in its characterisation.

If you can forgive the numerous coincidences as poetic licence, you
will be in for a rare treat. A film that has perfectly judged
performances, a good narrative structive, subtle under-stated
direction, and does not treat it's audience like idiots.

A must see.

[–] diello_00 21 years ago

Definitely. One of the best films of this year. LaPaglia deserves all the possible awards for his performance in "Lantana".

[–] smartalec-j 21 years ago

I thought that the numerous coincidences
were pointing to those in another movie dedicated to a flower (Magnolia)

[–] cleith 20 years ago

You people are completely off your rockers. This is a terrible movie. No matter how you would like to put your own spin on the depth of this movie, It is still a real stinker.

Lapaglia deserves awards for what? He freaking couldnt even do the accent right. He lost it numerous times throughout the movie.

Someone compared Lantana to In the Bedroom? What do you sheep do in your spare time? Lantana could only be compared to In the Bedroom because they were both rated R. Other than that Lantana could not even be put in the same video store as In the Bedroom.

[–] coprogirl 20 years ago

Cleith, you brain-dead moron. Lapaglia is Australian. Look him up on IMDB.

[–] gemini7662 20 years ago

Lose his accent???????????????????? He's an Aussie, born and bred.

[–] cleith 20 years ago

Listen to the damn movie numnuts. I knew that he was Australian, he still cant keep an accent pure throughout the movie. Listen you'll hear that I am telling you the truth.

[–] jillski 19 years ago

ummmm yeah good one cleith....

everyone knows that he talks with an accent that can be described as australian-american....so what. he is just talking the way he does in real life...so your 'can't keep his accent pure' comment is redundant. the movie is set in sydney so if you wanna get semantic about it, a *beep* of people that live here have strong and weak accents of all descriptions...who cares.

[–] TimBoHannon 19 years ago

Look at his post history. He seems to have wicked case of Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder.

Assume I know what I'm saying.

[–] cleith 19 years ago

Are you following me around "Mensa" Boy? Shouldn't you be taking an IQ test or something else to try to validate your life, rather than looking for my posts and adding nothing but a half-assed psychological diagnosis?

[–] radicalmedia 19 years ago

I don't think I or any other critic was saying this film was Altmanesque. However, I do wish the direction, script and mise-en-scene was half as deft as that genius. What transpires here, however, is a tawrdry explicit tele-drama with poetic licence that feels derivative and overly explicable. There are shadows of Shortcuts here (and the director has noted this was an inspiration)...Blue Velvet... but what ends up on screen as a result of the infusion is nothing greater than a good episode of Law and order.

For a mystery film..there is little mystery in my opinion. For a drama...there is nothing epic or heartbreaking about this middle of the week chair-warmer. It's so cold and earnest...it might as well be an offering from recent German cinema (equally borish, bourgeoise and unimaginative).

Bring back the erotic, the epic, the nightmarish. Bring back Ken RUssell and John Schlesinger.