As romance novelist Loretta Sage in The Lost City, Sandra Bullock gets wise, does physical comedy (tied to a chair in one scene, in a hammock in another), and not only debates the slang of “here” for “to catch,” but also read logos and pronounce Latin. And she wears most of it in a form-fitting glittery purple onesie. In other words, in her brilliant new film, Bullock returns to the rom-com genre that helped her become a star .(Not to say she should stick to comedy only; she deserves the accolades she received for The Blind Side and Gravity, though she tries nobly in The Unforgivable – and suffered.)
Bullock is paired here with Channing Tatum as Alan, an attractive cover model who provides visual inspiration for Loretta’s fictional character Dash. Alan is a sweet, somber boy who wants to be Dash, and Tatum’s appearance at a book event where he performs a “Magic Mike” routine is amusing. But for Loretta, Alan is annoying. While she’s still recovering from the loss of her husband, an archaeologist, and blocked as a writer, she’s even more disheartened that her fans show up to see Alan take off his shirt — or, worse, to see Loretta ask to take off Alan’s shirt. Also, her publisher Beth (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) is unhappy that Loretta plans to kill Dash and quit writing.
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But then Loretta is kidnapped by Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe), a very rich man who wants Loretta to decipher the hieroglyphic symbols that are said to lead to the location of the precious Crown of Fire, a supposed treasure buried deep on the island with the active volcano is he bought. Alan and Beth contact Jack Trainer (Brad Pitt), who can extract Loretta, and, like an irritating younger brother, asks Alan to come along. (He can’t wait in the car because he’s locked himself out).
Daniel Radcliffe and Sandra Bullock in The Lost City (Paramount Pictures)
The Lost City is great fun to build. Bullock performs a slapstick comedy while hanging out of a car and talks flatly about why the water they’re wading through is warm. It’s all charming old-school humor, and it works. And Pitt is hilarious as he climbs a tree to take down baddies with noticeable aplomb. Tatum’s eager nature is both clumsy and endearing, but he really gets going when Alan and Loretta try to battle their way through the jungle with no cellphone or clue.
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Think of the scene where Loretta removes leeches from Alan’s naked galley or he helps her climb a cliff by sticking his head between her legs and squeezing while she complains that her “sitting and thinking and eating” skills are, not climbing. And there’s some hilarious banter as the novelist soothes her cover model’s eczema and talks about the ridges and contours of his body in purple prose.
But as the action portion of The Lost City ramps up, the film begins to drag. It’s not that Abigail is a weak villain – he is – but give Radcliffe credit for playing him upbeat rather than sinister, which is sweet. But the film seems to stretch the action for an unexciting chase and fight in and on a tank (which has a minibar)! It’s okay to paint by numbers in a formulaic film, and the leads are right in their goofy comfort zones, but the enjoyment of the cinematic equivalent of a bag of potato chips calls for more, and directors Aaron and Adam Nee serve up diminishing returns.
Channing Tatum and Sandra Bullock in The Lost City (Paramount Pictures)
In a mediocre subplot, Beth tries to track down Loretta and Alan, experiencing all sorts of frustrations along the way. Randolph is great, but her encounter with a mad pilot (Oscar Nuñez) who loves his goat should be funnier. And while it’s nice to see an inclusive supporting cast that includes Patti Harrison as Beth’s social media manager, these players don’t really have much to do – Radcliffe included – and not enough of it is funny.
“The Lost City” trumps the charm and sex appeal of its handsome leads, but it’s at its best when Loretta and Alan dance and weakest when they engage in introductory dialogue that includes a groan-inducing line a book do not judge by its cover (model). While it’s nice that Nees’ film is a throwback to everything from Romancing the Stone to Raiders of the Lost Ark, it’s rarely truly captivating. It’s just a pleasant change with funny moments. (Pitt easily gets the most laughs despite having the fewest scenes.)
Bullock and Tatum is a game, and The Lost City is a crowd pleaser, but it never quite delivers the classic screwball comedy it should (or wants) to be.
The Lost City is currently in cinemas. Watch a trailer for it on YouTube now.
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