“Lantana,” a drama from Australia released in 2001, centers on four couples living near Sydney—the city where the movie takes place—along with several other significant people. The story involves a detective experiencing a mid-life crisis (played by Anthony LaPaglia), and his wife (Kerry Armstrong) senses something is amiss, so she seeks professional help. Interestingly, the counselor’s marriage (Barbara Hershey) is also facing difficulties because of the loss of their young daughter eighteen months prior. A woman with whom the detective is having an affair (Rachael Blake) resides next door to a couple who appear to have a stable relationship (Vince Colosimo and Daniela Farinacci). Or do they? The situation becomes more complicated when one of these women disappears, leading the counselor’s husband to become a suspect (Geoffrey Rush). The title “Lantana” refers to a type of shrub common in Australia; it's used as a metaphor for how intertwined all the characters' lives are. Lantana also has associations with marriage because its fragrance is both pleasant and bitter—it’s visually appealing, but also contains thorns, and its branches grow together in an intricate fashion. The story reflects this complexity when a woman finds herself ensnared within it. This movie stands apart from typical large-scale action films that often become tedious due to their excessive special effects. “Lantana” demonstrates how everyday existence can be fascinating and absorbing if handled well. It examines the nature of people through a combination of strong emotions, misunderstandings, infidelity, frustration, jumping to conclusions too quickly, self-importance, responsibility, morals, deception, truthfulness, faithfulness, regret, and reconciliation. “Lantana” is among my top three dramas ever, alongside “Grand Canyon” (1991), "Snow Angels" (2007) and “Pulp Fiction” (1994). That’s how remarkable I think it is. The film has a running time of 2 hours and 1 minute. GRADE: A

Source on TMDB