Lantana (M) 25th Anniversary PRESENTED IN 35MM FILM

Lantana (M, 2001) 25th Anniversary Presented in 35mm Film by The Revival House Perth

In Sydney, four seemingly separate stories intersect in unexpected ways. Detective Leon Ray (Anthony LaPaglia) is a married man having an affair, guilt-ridden and increasingly violent in his behavior. Psychiatrist Patrick Somers (Geoffrey Rush) is grieving the recent suicide of a patient while struggling with his own failing marriage. His wife Sonya (Barbara Hershey) is a lonely woman desperate for connection. And Valerie Somers (Kerry Armstrong), a young dancer, hides secrets about her relationship with a married man. When a woman's body is found murdered in the undergrowth near their homes, the police investigation pulls these tangled lives together, revealing how infidelity, grief, depression, and unspoken desire have created a web of interconnected pain. As Detective Ray investigates, the truth about who killed the victim becomes less important than what the crime reveals about the darkness lurking beneath Sydney's suburban surface.

Director Ray Lawrence crafts an intricately constructed ensemble drama about urban isolation and emotional disconnection. The 2001 film interweaves multiple storylines with surgical precision, showing how the characters' lives intersect without their awareness. Anthony LaPaglia delivers a powerful performance as Leon, a man whose violence stems from personal anguish rather than inherent evil. Geoffrey Rush brings intellectual vulnerability to Patrick, a therapist unable to heal himself or help his patients. Barbara Hershey is heartbreaking as Sonya, a woman whose need for connection leads her into dangerous situations. The cinematography by Andrew McCallum captures Sydney's suburban landscape—clean, ordered, yet concealing dysfunction. The film's title refers to the lantana plant that grows wild and uncontrollable, much like the emotions the characters attempt to suppress. Andrew Kotak's haunting score underscores the film's exploration of grief and disconnection. It's a sophisticated examination of how contemporary urban life breeds isolation and how proximity doesn't guarantee understanding.

Original format and audio experience of this film faithfully reproduced by The Revival House. Presented in 35mm film unless noted otherwise.

When: Sunday, July 19th at 6:20PM
Where: The Revival House at the Como Theatre
Rating: M (Adult themes, Low level coarse language, Low level sex scenes)