---
title: "Lantana"
year: 2001
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/lantana"
fi1m_id: "lantana"
imdb_id: "tt0259393"
tmdb_id: 9523
wikidata_id: "Q690463"
fi1m_score: 78
critics_score: 67
critics_reviews: 11
published: "2026-09-26T17:56:29.604489+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-26T17:56:37.222146+00:00"
region: "PL"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Lantana (2001)

Directed by Ray Lawrence · 2h 01m · Crime, Drama, Mystery

## Identity

Lantana

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/lantana
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** lantana
- **IMDb ID:** tt0259393
- **TMDB ID:** 9523
- **Wikidata ID:** Q690463
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0259393/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/9523, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q690463

**Fi1m score: 78** · Critics 67 from 11 reviews

*In a sentence:* A detective story in which fidelity looks harder than police work

> Ray Lawrence’s patient crime drama is worth the evening for its cast, especially Anthony LaPaglia and Kerry Armstrong. The plotting can be contrived and the pace heavy, but the unhappiness feels uncomfortably close to life.

## Synopsis

Detective Leon Zat (Anthony LaPaglia) faces a mystery complicated by the private lives of the people around him. Sonja Zat (Kerry Armstrong), Valerie Somers (Barbara Hershey), John Knox (Geoffrey Rush) and Jane O’May (Rachael Blake) belong to a circle of relationships troubled by adultery and resentment. Leon needs to establish what has happened, but the connections between these people make their motives difficult to separate from their suspicions. Questions about a crime become entangled with questions about fidelity, and private grievances influence what each person is prepared to believe about the others.

## Review

Ray Lawrence’s *Lantana* is a good crime drama for anyone willing to spend more time considering the people than solving the case. Its mystery gives a group of unhappy adults a reason to examine one another, and Andrew Bovell’s screenplay takes their private grievances seriously enough to make that examination uncomfortable. Adultery matters here because people carry the hurt into their other dealings. The plotting occasionally forces those connections, but the cast makes the emotional consequences worth staying for.

Anthony LaPaglia plays Leon Zat, the detective, with a rawness that stops the investigation becoming a tidy exercise. Kerry Armstrong’s Sonja Zat is just as important to the film’s emotional force; there is nothing decorative about her place in this ensemble. We were moved by their unhappiness. The resentment in their performances feels settled in, with no easy way of getting rid of it. Ray Lawrence lets their private troubles occupy scenes that a brisker thriller might hurry through.

Mandy Walker’s cinematography makes the unease persist even when the plot offers little immediate cause for alarm. There is a risk that this foreboding will make everybody seem suspect before they have done anything. Mostly, it works: the atmosphere sustains our attention through the slower passages. Kim Buddee’s production design helps us believe these people had lives before the investigation began. That sense of ordinary surroundings matters because the script already has enough contrivances without needing to make its characters’ homes look suspicious.

Karl Sodersten’s editing has to keep several lives in view, and we rarely lose track of the people involved. The flashbacks, though, can feel like a second explanation when the first was sufficient. They interrupt the pleasure of watching the actors give away only what they choose. The music, credited to Shane O’Mara, Bruce Haymes, Paul Kelly, Steve Hadley and Peter Luscombe, suits the film’s sober treatment of these relationships. Taken together, however, the music and the measured pace can make the seriousness feel insistent.

Andrew Bovell is less convincing when he arranges another coincidence or steers suspicion through somebody’s sexual life. There are moments when we can feel the screenplay moving a person into position, and some of the dialogue explains emotions the performances have already made clear. That is a particular waste in a film with this much acting ability. Its stronger passages allow ordinary resentment and spite to do the work, without making every hurt sound as if it has been prepared for examination.

As a thriller, *Lantana* asks for patience, and its slow, sober manner will test anyone hoping for regular shocks. The relationships supply enough interest to repay that patience, although the crime plot does not always deserve the weight placed on it. We would have welcomed a little more room for people to be careless or funny without becoming less credible. At 121 minutes, the film has time to let some air in. Choose it for the actors, and allow the detective story to take its time.

*Fi1m score 78, published 26 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews lean towards qualified approval of Lantana, with praise clustering around its ensemble performances and carefully connected relationships. Anthony LaPaglia receives particular attention for his emotional force, while the stronger notices find believable private lives beneath the mystery and give the script credit for allowing them to emerge. Even less enthusiastic critics admire the acting, and several find the film’s tension rooted persuasively in ordinary resentment, mistrust and spite.

The divide concerns whether those connections feel convincing or contrived, with responses ranging from absorbed admiration to frustration at the plotting. Reservations include slow pacing, awkward dialogue, misleading clues and flashbacks; Total Film remains strongly positive despite finding the final revelation disappointing. IndieWire offers the clearest dissent, praising the cast and foreboding atmosphere but finding thin motivations, implausible coincidences and little insight in the adultery plot. Three available review extracts disclose no substantive verdict, limiting how fully the apparent middle ground can be described.

## Straight answers

**Is Lantana worth watching?**

*Lantana* is worth watching for its cast and its uncomfortable account of adult relationships; we score it 78 out of 100. Anthony LaPaglia and Kerry Armstrong make the unhappiness persuasive, though the contrived connections and heavy pace mean we recommend it more for character drama than for a brisk mystery.

**How long is Lantana, and what is it rated?**

*Lantana* runs 2h 01m. It is a crime and drama film.

**Where can I watch Lantana in Poland?**

*Lantana* is not on any streaming or rental service in Poland at the moment. It is available in 6 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is Lantana, and is it suitable for children?**

*Lantana* has a UK 15 certificate and is not suitable for children under 15. Its adultery, resentment and sustained unease make it an adult relationship drama as much as a crime story; we find it emotionally uncomfortable rather than driven by regular shocks, but cannot offer a specific warning about violence from the details available.

**How does Lantana compare to The Secret in Their Eyes?**

*Lantana* is the better choice for a patient study of marital resentment, while we recommend [*The Secret in Their Eyes*](https://film.one/film/the-secret-in-their-eyes) for a crime drama whose frustrated romance holds our attention. Both use an investigation to explore troubled relationships, and both have pacing problems; *Lantana* puts particular weight on adultery and the suspicions people bring from their private lives.

**What should I watch after Lantana?**

After *Lantana*, try [*The Secret in Their Eyes*](https://film.one/film/the-secret-in-their-eyes) (2009, Fi1m 78): A criminal investigation complicated by desire, memory and years of unfinished business. Then [*A Separation*](https://film.one/film/a-separation) (2011, Fi1m 93): Domestic grievances become a legal dispute in which everyone has reasons; and [*The Conversation*](https://film.one/film/the-conversation) (1974, Fi1m 92): Patient observation, moral anxiety and the dangers of trusting an investigator’s assumptions.

### Reviews we read (11)

- **Empire**, Jo Berry (85/100, inferred): The review is strongly positive, calling the film a must-see Australian drama. It particularly praises Anthony LaPaglia’s raw, uncompromising performance, alongside the carefully observed script and well-developed characters. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/lantana-review/)
- **The Guardian**, Guardian staff reporter (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the film absorbing and memorable, with a subtly disturbing mystery. They praise its ensemble cast and the way it gives each character’s private life room to emerge. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2003/feb/14/dvdreviews.reviews1)
- **Total Film**, Total Film (4/5): The review calls Lantana one of the year’s best movies, despite finding its final revelation dramatically disappointing. It praises the believable characters and gripping, beautifully plotted web of relationships. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/lantana-review/)
- **Slant Magazine**, Ed Gonzalez (3/4): Gonzalez finds the film an effective, carefully modulated thriller, though its dialogue and sexual red herrings weaken it. He praises the tranquil final shot as a striking counterpoint to the film’s tension. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/lantana/)
- **Variety**, David Stratton (70/100, inferred): Stratton finds the film a demanding but ultimately successful psychological drama, praising its realism and layered connections between characters. He singles out the performances, especially Anthony LaPaglia’s and Kerry Armstrong’s, for their emotional force. [Read](https://variety.com/2001/film/reviews/lantana-1200468826/)
- **Screen Daily**, Frank Hatherley (64/100, inferred): The accessible page identifies this as Frank Hatherley’s review, but its verdict is hidden behind a registration wall. No specific praise or criticism is visible in the available text. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/lantana/405955.article)
- **The New York Times**, A. O. Scott (64/100, inferred): The page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It also provides no details about what the review praised or criticized. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/14/movies/film-review-urban-lives-are-entangled-with-suspense-in-the-air.html)
- **Time Out**, TCh (64/100, inferred): The available page material does not reveal the critic’s verdict. Its standfirst identifies LaPaglia’s detective, but offers no clear praise or complaint. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/lantana)
- **The AV Club**, Noel Murray (55/100, inferred): Murray finds the film’s intricate, emotionally grounded mystery compelling, though its slow pace and sober style make it a grind. He praises the carefully woven relationships and the way the story’s revelations arise from ordinary resentment and spite. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/lantana-1798197629)
- **IndieWire**, Peter Brunette (35/100, inferred): Brunette finds the thriller watchable but ultimately unmemorable, with its adultery plot offering little insight. He praises the cast and Lawrence’s foreboding visual atmosphere, but faults the script’s thin motivations and implausible coincidences. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-lantana-grows-down-under-superb-cast-cultivates-aussie-thriller-80619/)
- **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray (50/100, inferred): The critic finds the film dark and cynical, with exemplary production values and performances, but says its plotting is manipulative and its characters hard to like. The performances are singled out for praise, while the film’s tendency to resort to flashbacks is a complaint. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/lantana-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)

## Details

- **Director:** Ray Lawrence
- **Director:** Ray Lawrence
- **Screenplay:** Andrew Bovell
- **Cinematography:** Mandy Walker
- **Editor:** Karl Sodersten
- **Music:** Shane O'Mara, Bruce Haymes, Paul Kelly, Steve Hadley, Peter Luscombe
- **Production design:** Kim Buddee
- **Costume design:** Margot Wilson
- **Producer:** Jan Chapman
- **Cast:** Anthony LaPaglia as Leon Zat; Geoffrey Rush as John Knox; Barbara Hershey as Valerie Somers; Kerry Armstrong as Sonja Zat; Rachael Blake as Jane O'May; Vince Colosimo as Nick; Russell Dykstra as Michael; Daniela Farinacci as Paula D'Amato
- **Runtime:** 2h 01m
- **First release (Australia):** 8 June 2001
- **Genres:** Crime, Drama, Mystery
- **Box office:** $16 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ayPrLsBs_w

## Where to watch in Poland

Not streaming, renting or buying in Poland at the last check.

Also available in: AU, CA, GB, IE, NZ, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role 2001: AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (won)
- AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role 2001: AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (won)
- AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role 2001: AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role (won)
- AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role 2001: AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (won)
- AACTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay 2001: AACTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (won)
- AACTA Award for Best Costume Design 2001: AACTA Award for Best Costume Design (nominated)
- AACTA Award for Best Direction 2001: AACTA Award for Best Direction (won)
- AACTA Award for Best Editing 2001: AACTA Award for Best Editing (nominated)
- AACTA Award for Best Film 2001: AACTA Award for Best Film (won)
- AACTA Award for Best Original Music Score 2001: AACTA Award for Best Original Music Score (nominated)
- AACTA Award for Best Production Design 2001: AACTA Award for Best Production Design (nominated)
- AACTA Award for Best Sound 2001: AACTA Award for Best Sound (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Jindabyne* (2006): Another troubled community, with private loyalties making a public crisis harder.
- *The Secret in Their Eyes* (2009), Fi1m 78: A criminal investigation complicated by desire, memory and years of unfinished business. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-secret-in-their-eyes.md)
- *The Headless Woman* (2008): For the same unease around ordinary lives, with far fewer explanations.
- *A Separation* (2011), Fi1m 93: Domestic grievances become a legal dispute in which everyone has reasons. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-separation.md)
- *The Conversation* (1974), Fi1m 92: Patient observation, moral anxiety and the dangers of trusting an investigator’s assumptions. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-conversation.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/lantana