It's difficult to imagine a world where Sandra Bullock and Channing Tanum are paired as romance novelists and their cover models on a "Romancing the Stone-esque journey that isn't enjoyable. You're sure to be a hit with this combination of Brad Pitt dancing without breaking a sweat, and Daniel Radcliffe as the eccentric heir.
If star charisma were enough to make a movie interesting, there would be plenty more. This is why "The Lost City", a movie about a lost city, is so special. It is reliant on Bullock, Tatum, and the ensemble (including a charming Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and Patti Harrison), but there are so many more things that must be done to make it work. And it does it exceedingly well. It's the movie "Jungle Cruise" longed for.
Aaron and Adam Nee directed "The Lost City", and it starts with the script. It is smart, lean and self-aware and both laugh at the absurdities and pay homage to the things we love about them. It isn't condescending or snarky.
Bullock, Tatum and Loretta are pitted against each other as the brains and beauties. Although she enjoys romance novels and writing, she would rather be an academic. He is a yellow lab with a heart full of gold and a vocabulary filled with malapropisms. He thinks he is a mere six-pack. But she is fascinated by him and has a crush on him. So he is more than willing to rescue her from being kidnapped at a book event.
Four writers (both Nees and Oren Uziel) and a story credit (Seth Gordon), on a project can be a problem. This indicates disagreement, re-writes and an effort to please everyone. Cinephiles are taught to value individual vision and not accept collaboration. Yet, "The Lost City" appears to have been the result of a fair bit of teamwork on screen -- possibly a throwback back to when studio notes were good and could make a project more successful.
Lorretta is outraged at the outfit Beth Randolph, her agent, has chosen for Lorretta to wear at a promotion event for her book. She complains that the jumpsuit is too low-cut and has tight purple sequins. Beth tells Beth to just suck it up. She can wear it for only two hours. Radcliffe's polite psychopath Abigail Fairfax kidnaps her and takes her to an island. He hopes that she will help him find an ancient artifact. Even though the outfit was too tight to allow her to stand on a bar stool at the event, it is still very practical and the inconveniences are not overlooked. The Lost City is not a one-off, so even a purple sequin jumpsuit, it's not a joke. They are committed.
Bullock and Tatum make a great team. Both are never too proud to be funny, and Tatum especially enjoys the opportunity to showcase her talents as a physical comedian.
The problem with "The Lost City"? It's too strong, funny, and energetic in the first hour. By the end it runs out of steam. This is not a criticism of "The Lost City", but rather the reality of a frontloaded story. I think "The Lost City", like "Spy," from a few decades ago, will only get better with repeated viewings. Although it may not be the best cinema in the traditional sense, it is great entertainment and a welcome antidote for all the poor cover versions.
The Motion Picture Association of America has rated "The Lost City," a Paramount Picture release, PG-13 for "violence, some bloody images and suggestive material", running time: 112 min. Three stars out four.
MPAA Definition of PG-13 - Parents are strongly advised. Children under 13 may not be able to access some material.
