Loretta Sage (Sandra Bullock) is a renowned romance novelist, but book after book she has grown tired of writing the same old stories following Angela and the handsome, charming Dash. Her agent, Beth (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) has booked her a tour with Alan (Channing Tatum), the cover model who the public treats as if he is actually the swoon-worthy Dash himself. After Loretta announces her retirement in a bombshell interview and is leaving the conference center, she is kidnapped and taken to mogul and ancient enthusiast Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe) as he believes her latest novel, The Lost City of D, contains the secret to uncovering a great treasure. 

Directed by Adam and Aaron Nee for Paramount Pictures, The Lost City is a true relic of ancient times in Hollywood filmmaking: a mid-budget, adult-skewing, romantic comedy, and tinged with adventure elements. The Nees contributed to the script with Oren Uziel and Dana Fox to create a truly enjoyable premise for the film, but the result is lackluster and forgettable. There are a few moments that really shine through as it begins to tease at some great ideas, but it seems perhaps there may have been too many people involved – either in the writing or from the executive office – that The Lost City really struggles to find its voice and hit its stride on the scene by scene and moment by moment basis. Because of this disconnect, at 112 strangely paced minutes, the film feels incredibly long and drawn out. 

What the film does right, though, is its casting. In the leading roles, Bullock and Tatum share great chemistry throughout the film and their relationship is a delight to watch unfold and evolve over their extended time together. Their dynamic is constantly changing as the film progresses and it really is their dynamism that carries the film set against the outrageous and enjoyable backdrop of a cheeky jungle adventure. It is in the quieter character-focused moments where The Lost City plays at its strongest. The arc is following the blueprint of any number of opposites attract narratives – the reclusive author and the extroverted cover model – and as such the moments when they begin to break free from their perceived archetype and find understanding and common ground with each other are some of the most engaging moments of the film.  

Working against the pair is Fairfax, played by Radcliffe who totally embraces the silly nature of the film and hams it up for the camera at every opportunity. It is in this performance where the Nees’ direction can truly be commended as even though Radcliffe is not just chewing but rather making a smorgasbord out of the scenery, it never feels out of place within the overall tone of the film. His character is a winking play on the billionaire supervillains with an appreciation for ancient arts who frequently inhabit the tomb-raiding adventures, and like any good parody, Radcliffe identifies what works about those characters we have seen time and time before and then plays it up for his performance. 

While many of the jokes fail to land which is not a good thing to say about a comedy, The Lost City is not an insulting watch. Admiringly, the jokes are all very context-based and do not punch down to either groups of people or to the audience. The problem is they just fall flat, and they do so because they feel almost out of context in this world. The Lost City excels in its goofy and offbeat situational comedy that it really does not need to rely on its one-liners to get by, in fact, an argument could be made that it would have been a far more successful film to have followed that situational route and do away with the quips. The story elements are all there and the chemistry between its stars who are unafraid to get down and dirty and have fun together are, instead of just the icing on the cake, the things that hold this film together. They are the few threads we have to hold on to as the film winds and careens its way to its, surprisingly poignant, finish.