Esoteric historian, widow and conflicted author Loretta Sage (Sandra Bullock) writes bonkbusters set in exotic locales, and on the cover of every one of her meticulously-researched books her long-haired hero, Dash, as channelled by model Alan, (Channing Tatum), shows off his cracking bod.
After being kidnapped (this rom-com is both long and implausible) by Abigail Fairfax, a treasure-seeking billionaire (Daniel Radcliffe, trying so hard to make his potty character fun), the waspish Loretta finds herself on a remote jungle island with Alan. Though Loretta is initially contemptuous of this sweet, somewhat dim metrosexual, she soon finds herself peeling leeches off his naked butt and, when confronted by his penis, jibbering with joy. Thanks to Bullock – one of the great comedians of our age – Loretta jibbers in a way that is both ribald and wry. The mood is what you might call meta-hen-night.
Pay no attention to critics who say this film is a rip off of Romancing the Stone. The plots may overlap, but the casting doesn’t. In 1984, it was the norm for a male actor in a big-budget romance to be at least a decade older than his co-star. It would also have been unthinkable, back then, for an actress in her late fifties to play the romantic lead. Bullock got her big break opposite Keanu Reeves. All these years later, it feels like serious progress that she and he are equally in demand.
Anyway, if The Lost City provides Bullock with chances to shine it’s just as generous with 41 year-old Tatum. At one point, as Alan and Loretta try to save themselves from Fairfax, Alan accuses Loretta of “mansplaining”. When our heroine explains why this is a contradiction in terms, Alan widens his eyes and says “As a feminist, I believe women can do anything that a man can do!”
Tatum displays the same knack for chipper innocence when claiming to be able to taste the thoughts of CIA op, Jack Trainer (Brad Pitt; fabulous), a brusque, brave and erudite adonis who, unlike Alan, has a real mane of hair.
The script, though often slapdash, seems truly keen to provide a novel angle on the word “escapist”. The subliminal question that’s posed: for a dude to survive in the jungle of Loretta’s imagination, does he need to be “fit”? To put it another way, when it comes to sex, are even the brainiest of people outrageously shallow?
Director siblings Aaron and Adam Nee are the missing link between the Farrelly brothers and Joel and Ethan Coen. This is the third film they’ve made together and it’s a grubby little gem.
