Lantana is a 2001 Australian-German drama film, directed by Ray Lawrence and starring Anthony LaPaglia, Kerry Armstrong, Geoffrey Rush and Barbara Hershey.

It is based on the play Speaking In Tongues by Andrew Bovell, which premiered at Sydney's Griffin Theatre Company.

The film's name derives from the plant lantana, an invasive species of shrub prevalent in suburban Sydney, which is attractive on the surface but a tangle of dead wood on the inside.

They part, and Leon and his wife, Sonja, attend Latin dance classes that the recently separated Jane is also taking.

He has emotional issues but refuses to confront or admit to them, while Sonja sees a therapist, Valerie, who has published a book on her daughter's recent murder.

Valerie feels threatened by another patient, Patrick, who is having an affair (with a married man), forcing her to confront her marital issues.

Nik is upset at the relationship because he is friends with her estranged husband, Pete, who wants to return home.

She invites Nik for coffee at Paula's behest, his wife with whom she is friendly, and offers him money as they are struggling.

Surprised at seeing his wife's file, he takes a recording of their sessions, from which he learns that Sonja would not consider an affair a betrayal, but would if Leon didn't tell her.

The police interrogate Nik, but he refuses to answer questions about Valerie, repeatedly asking for Paula.

Patrick is pained to see his lover, the man seen in his apartment during Leon's investigation, spending time with his wife and their kids.

The critical consensus states "Lantana is an intricately plotted character study that quietly shines with authenticity.

[8] Writer and critic Roger Ebert compared the film to Short Cuts and Magnolia in terms of how it developed the connections between the lives of strangers.

British critic Philip French described the film as a "thoughtful, gripping movie" based around the themes of "trust in its various forms, betrayal, forgiveness and grief".