Lantana

Synopsis: Trust. A dead body in bracken. A cop cheats on his unhappy wife who, in secret, sees a psychiatrist whose own marriage is corroded by grief: she thinks her husband is having an affair with a gay patient of hers. The cop's lover, Jane, is recently separated, and her neighbors - a couple with children - include a muscular unemployed man. Late one night, the doctor skids off a back road, finds a call box, and tries in vain to reach her husband. She sees headlights and flags down the driver. Later that night, Jane sees her neighbor park his truck and throw something into the lantana in a vacant lot. It's a woman's shoe. Unraveling the mystery lays bare five couples.
Director(s): Ray Lawrence
Production: Lions Gate Releasing
  36 wins & 22 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.3
Metacritic:
84
Rotten Tomatoes:
90%
R
Year:
2001
121 min
$4,277,569
Website
450 Views


( fly buzzing )

( man and woman moaning )

You're okay?

Yeah.|I lost my earring.

- Man:
What does it look like?|- It's a pearl one.

Man:
|It should turn up.

I'm fond of them, 'cause|my husband gave them to me.

- You should go.|- Yeah.

I...

really enjoyed that.

Yes, I know.

( salsa music playing )

( mumbles )

Leon...

Leon...

this is about sex.|It's about a man and a woman

joined groin to groin.|Get it?

Come on.

No.

Like this.

Boy:
Mom?

- I'm in here.|- I don't have any clothes.

- You looked on your bedroom floor?|- Yeah. I mean clean ones.

When I come home,|I'll clean them, okay?

- Boy:
Why are you jogging, Dad?|- I want to get fit.

- What for?|- I don't want to die.

- You are gonna die.|- Not just yet.

Mom? Clothes?

- Then stop jogging.|- Mom, clothes?

What am I gonna wear?

( exhales deeply )

Boy:
See you, mom

- See you, Dad.|- See you, mate.

- See you, Dad.|- Hey, hey, what about me?

- I'm 1 6 now.|- You're telling me you're a man now?

No, but--

- Have a good day, Dad.|- Yeah. You too.

Is there some point where a son|stops kissing his father?

Apparently.

- Police!|- Get out!

You weren't a bit hard?

The guy deals drugs.|He's scum.

Woman:
Yeah, but|he wasn't going anywhere.

What did you|expect me to do?

Are you seeing anyone?

Not with the hours I keep.

What about somebody|on the force?

Male cops|are lousy in bed.

There is someone.

He eats in the same|restaurant as I do.

Have you spoken|to him yet?

We've exchanged glances.

Oooh...

It's a start.

- How's Sonja?|- She's good.

Haven't seen her|around for a while.

Yeah, well... she's busy,|with the boys and work...

Tell her I said hi.

I will.

Woman:
Have you told him|you're not happy?

I would have thought that|he wouldn't need to be told.

That depends on how good|an actor you are.

Well...

I guess I must be|pretty good.

How do you want|your marriage to be?

Passionate...

and challenging,

and-- and--

honest...

Isn't it honest?

Not emotionally.

Not emotionally it isn't.|It just feels...

like we're--

like we're just...

going through|the motions,

you know?

And I want more.

I want more than that.

Announcer:
|Ladies and gentlemen,

please welcome|Dr. Valerie Somers.

( audience claps )

Thank you.

We don't know|what to feel anymore.

We don't know|what's right or wrong anymore.

The confused cry|of the modern age...

We ask,|''What can we believe in?

What should we believe in?''

Our politicians?

Hardly.

Our priests?

You'd be amazed at how many clients|come to see me

because they once believed|in a priest.

It's not supposed|to be that way.

But it is.

What then?|Our parents?

''Home is a sanctuary.''|For the priviledged few.

For most,|it's a battleground.

It's not meant|to be like that.

But it is.

Love?

Can we believe in love?

Feel safe in it?

Loving someone means|we have to relinquish power.

It's mutual surrender.

But how can this|take place?

Trust.

Trust is as vital|to human relationships

as breath is to life...

and just as elusive.

Two years ago, my 1 1 -year-old|daughter was murdered.

Her name was Eleanor.

This wasn't|supposed to happen.

But it did.

It seemed to go well.

I was worried you weren't|going to be there.

I said I would be.

Do you want a whiskey?

I've got an early client.

Why don't we take|separate cars in the morning?

I've got a late meeting. That way,|you wouldn't have to wait for me.

I've got plenty of work|I can do.

You can pick me up|after your meeting.

Sure.

Okay.

Man:
|I met someone.

We went home and had sex.

As you do--

well, some of us do.

And he asked|to see me again.

I wasn't expecting that.

And?

Against my better judgement,|I said yes.

We've been seeing|each other for awhile.

And you like him?

Yes, I do.

Very much.

So?

He comes encumbered...

with a wife.

Is he gay?

When he's with me,|he seems to be.

Somers:
|Does she know about you?

I assume so.

She would sense it,|wouldn't she?

It depends on how good|he is at deceiving her.

Or how good she is|at deceiving herself.

( Latin music playing )

''V.'' Don't forget ''V.''

Hi, Nik.

Having a party, Jane?

Yeah.|Did you want to join me?

Take this inside|for Mommy.

Well?

Yeah.

Where?

In a motel.

Woman:
Oh...

- Did you get his number?|- Is that what you do?

I don't know.

If you like the guy.

But he's married.

Well, what?|He's not happy.

He can't be, if he's...

messing around.

You want|to see him again?

Do you think I should?

You want me to be honest?

No. No.

When are you gonna|take that thing off?

It's too tight.|I've got to get it cut off.

Nik caught up with Pete|the other day.

He wants to come back.

I don't love him, Paula.

Leon:
Go up to the guy,|and ask if you can join him.

- What have you got to lose?|- Just a little dignity.

It is not the issue here.|He eats alone in a restaurant.

- So do I.|- Exactly.

- Oh, hey.|- Hi.

Uh...

Jane, this is Claudia.

- Claudia, Jane.|- Hi.

Hi.

Jane's in the same dance class|as Sonja and I.

I'll get going.|Say hi to Sonja.

Sorry.

Is that really awkward?

No, it's fine.

- How are you?|- I'm good.

Yeah.

Good.

I'd better go.

Jane.

Mmmm.

Where did you find it?

- Nik:
Paula?|- Paula: Mmm.

There's an unmarked police car|in front of Jane's place.

She's seeing a cop now?

Don't be nosy, Nik.

What? Are her and Pete|getting back together or what?

I don't know.

What if they are?|What do I say then?

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Andrew Bovell

Andrew Bovell (born 23 November 1962) is an Australian writer for theatre, film and television. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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