"Lantana," a new Australian film set in an unnamed city down under, looks to be a detective story on the surface. But, in reality, the film isn't as much a missing persons investigation as a look into the world of relationships and how people go "missing" from them.
Four sets of married couples are the focus of "Lantana," written by Andrew Bovell (who co-wrote "Strictly Ballroom" and adapted "Lantana" from his play "Speaking in Tongues") and directed by Ray Lawrence ("Bliss").
These eight people's lives intersect at points that would seem unlikely to anyone but a Milwaukeean, perhaps. The problem is, most also have something to hide and these run-ins are terribly inconvenient.
Take police detective Leon Zat (Anthony LaPaglia), who is having an affair with Jane (Rachael Blake), who is in the same dance class with Zat and his wife Sonja (Kerry Armstrong), who seeks solace and perhaps a new adventure in the world of Latin dance.
{INSERT_RELATED}Meanwhile, Zat runs into Jane's estranged husband Pete (Glenn Robbins) in a bar after Pete is inexplicably accosted on the street by Valerie (Barbara Hershey), who happens to be Sonja Zat's therapist and the author of a bestselling book.
Valerie is married to John (Geoffrey Rush), a distraught academic, and the flame of their marriage has been irrevocably doused by the murder of their 11-year-old daughter nearly two years earlier. Valerie suspects that one of her patients, a gay man having an affair with a married man, is involved with John.
Then there are Jane's neighbors, Nik (Vince Colosimo) and Paula (Daniela Farinacci), whose roles in the story grow as the film progresses and whose relationship is strong enough to weather life's storms.
Almost everyone else in the film lives without feeling and wanders aimlessly in their relationships. Zat's partner Claudia (Leah Purcell) fancies a man she sees regularly in her favorite restaurant and although the two exchange glances, neither will make a move and change their situations.
And this numbness defines the film, which has a downcast vibe that never subsides. Evenly paced, intelligent, thought-provoking, and at times more than a little depressing, "Lantana" is nevertheless the rare film that doesn't default to endless steamy sex scenes on its quest to get to the heart of what makes people fall in and out of love.
"Lantana" opens Fri., Feb. 1 at Landmark's Downer Theatre. Click here for showtimes.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
