Lantana - R\nStarring: Anthony LaPaglia, Geoffrey Rush, Barbara Hershey\nDirected by: Ray Lawrence\nShowing: Showplace East 11\nThe lantana plant is an invasive shrub that often grows in unwanted areas. On its surface, it yields beautiful flowers that range in colors from purple to orange. Beneath these delicate flowers, however, is a tightly woven system of branches. The tagline for Ray Lawrence's new film, which draws its name from the plant, simply states, "Sometimes love isn't enough." Between the "flowery" metaphor of love and the tagline, you have everything you need to know about viewing "Lantana."\nDirector Ray Lawrence ("Bliss") returns to the screen after 16 years with a film that probes the complex relationships, specifically marriage, that bind individuals together. Adapted from Andrew Bovell's play, "Speaking in Tongues," which Bovell co-wrote the screenplay with Lawrence, "Lantana" is the story of Detective Leon Zat (Anthony LaPaglia). Zat is investigating a case revolving around the disappearance and presumed murder of marriage counselor Dr. Valerie Somers (Barbara Hershey). While this plotline drives the film forward, at its core are the crumbling ruins of two marriages: those of Detective Zat and Dr. Somers' own marriage to her stoic husband John Knox (Geoffrey Rush).\nBoth Bovell and Lawrence take a brutal, and sometimes excruciating, look at humanity's greatest mystery, love. \n"Lantana" is geared toward an older audience, an audience that has seen love move past its days of youthful lust and vigor and into something much more intangible and much more abstract. "Lantana" deals with the deceptions we allow ourselves to believe in, the lies that men tell, the passion women yearn for and the secrets that everyone hides.\n"Lantana" also boasts an incredible cast. Anthony LaPaglia gives a powerful and moving performance as Leon Zat, a man who is going numb to the world around him. Likewise, Geoffrey Rush is perfectly cast as the seemingly hollow and embittered husband of Dr. Somers. The women of "Lantana" give performances full of gnawing ache and longing that seeps from their very pores.\n"Lantana" was not without its flaws. Specifically, Dr. Somers' character seems slightly underdeveloped as her actions begin to grow more and more irrational. But this aside, for those who have both the patience and the appreciation for such character-driven films as "In the Bedroom" or "Monster's Ball," "Lantana" is a beautiful film that is well worth your money and time. Sweeping the American Film Institute Awards in every major category, sadly, this film has been overlooked by the Academy. Don't make the same mistake!\n
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