Lantana
Release Date:
December 14, 2001
Limited release
This winner of Best Feature at the Melbourne International Film Festival is a psychological thriller that tells the story of three couples whose lives intertwine when one of them mysteriously disappears. This Australian feature made its North American debut at the Toronto International Film Festival to good reviews.
The cast is full of faces familiar to North American audiences. Anthony LaPaglia (Murder One, Frasier), Geoffery Rush (Academy Award winner for Shine, Mystery Men) and Barbara Hershey (Beaches, Falling Down) headline this feature from the studio that produced the relatively mildly successful 2000 film, Holy Smoke, starring Kate Winslet and Harvey Keitel, and The Piano, starring Keitel and Holly Hunter.
While it's early to predict whether this film will be around for Oscar time, it is important to note that it will be released early enough that it is eligible for the next Academy Awards. Given that the subject matter is familiar to North American audiences and that the film is in English, it cannot be discounted. No film can be. Strong Oscar buzz is the film's only chance of making solid takes at the box office. The buzz coming out of Toronto is good but not overly-exciting. (Walid Habboub/BOP)
Comparison films for Lantana |
Title |
Date |
Opening |
Adjusted Opening |
Screens |
PSA |
Adj PSA |
Total BO |
Adjusted Total |
Mult |
Piano, The * |
2/18/94 | 1.60 |
2.36 |
666 |
2402.00 |
3414.6 |
40.13 |
59.30 |
7.33 |
Strictly Ballroom |
4/16/93 | 1.02 |
1.48 |
377 |
2706.00 |
3791.0 |
11.73 |
17.08 |
6.27 |
Piano Teacher, The |
3/29/02 | 0.03 |
0.03 |
3 |
9890.00 |
9890.0 |
1.90 |
1.97 |
64.04 |
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