Lantana

REVIEW
In the opening moments of this skilled mystery-drama, the camera moves gracefully through a lantana bush to reveal a dead body, recalling Blue Velvet as it coyly undermines the tranquility of a peaceful suburban landscape. Who this dead person is and how they got there will be addressed soon enough. For director Lawrence and writer Andrew Bovell (adapting his own play "Speaking in Tongues") take their time filling in all the pieces, setting in motion a gripping character study in which -- much like Short Cuts and Magnolia -- the lives of several strangers ultimately intersect. LaPaglia (a native Australian, let's not forget) is terrific as a Sydney police detective who -- between his rocky marriage and unfulfilling extramarital affair -- is emotionally numb. Across town, another married couple is experiencing marital woes, as well. Hershey plays a noted psychiatrist who begins to suspect that her husband (Rush) may be gay. That these lives will soon converge is of no surprise. However, by carefully examining what drives each character, and by allowing the viewer to digest the small, telling moments as well as the big ones, the film gradually builds to a powerful, raw conclusion.