Premiering via a live broadcast as it happened/was filmed way back in 2017, Woody Harrelson's ambitious directional debut Lost in London is now available to rent through YouTube here in Australia and deciding whether or not its worth your time will depend purely on what you are watching it for, for as a narrative film this is a film lacking in much goodness but as a unique experience and technical feat its highly commendable.
Based in parts around Harrelson's own experiences in the early 2000's, Lost sees the well-liked actor facing pressure in his personal life after a series of wrong decisions leads him to be appearing in tabloid publications across the nation and battling to ensure he doesn't lose all he holds dear in his life.
Filmed astoundingly in one take by Harrelson's D.O.P Nigel Willoughby and at the time screened live as it was being shot, with Harrelson looking to merge the cinematic and theatrical in a combined package, Lost constantly impresses as you witness the craft and care that must have gone into getting the film to a reality but you can't help but feel the very bare bones story and only mildly funny material at hand needed some more refinement to make Lost a truly well-rounded feature.
Always likable, Harrelson is his typically game self and has a lot of fun bantering with the likes of Owen Wilson and singing Cheers theme songs to confused security guards on his way around London this fateful night but the core storyline and delivery of some supposedly comedic moments like a U2 loving cop or an Arabian prince whose a big fan of Woody's never really gel together and you get a feeling that if the film had been delivered in a typical production sense jokes would've landed smoother and more time could've been given to areas that would've smoothed the boring components of the film out.
As it stands, Lost is an impressive feat in so many ways and its great to see the likes of Harrelson jump behind the camera and try for something special straight off the bat but Lost is only ever moderately entertaining as its generic and so-so story goes through the motions.
Final Say -
A must-watch for Woody fans and a nice novelty feature in conception and delivery, Lost in London is let down by mid-tier material and a mostly unengaging plot.
2 1/2 Bono phone calls out of 5
Based in parts around Harrelson's own experiences in the early 2000's, Lost sees the well-liked actor facing pressure in his personal life after a series of wrong decisions leads him to be appearing in tabloid publications across the nation and battling to ensure he doesn't lose all he holds dear in his life.
Filmed astoundingly in one take by Harrelson's D.O.P Nigel Willoughby and at the time screened live as it was being shot, with Harrelson looking to merge the cinematic and theatrical in a combined package, Lost constantly impresses as you witness the craft and care that must have gone into getting the film to a reality but you can't help but feel the very bare bones story and only mildly funny material at hand needed some more refinement to make Lost a truly well-rounded feature.
Always likable, Harrelson is his typically game self and has a lot of fun bantering with the likes of Owen Wilson and singing Cheers theme songs to confused security guards on his way around London this fateful night but the core storyline and delivery of some supposedly comedic moments like a U2 loving cop or an Arabian prince whose a big fan of Woody's never really gel together and you get a feeling that if the film had been delivered in a typical production sense jokes would've landed smoother and more time could've been given to areas that would've smoothed the boring components of the film out.
As it stands, Lost is an impressive feat in so many ways and its great to see the likes of Harrelson jump behind the camera and try for something special straight off the bat but Lost is only ever moderately entertaining as its generic and so-so story goes through the motions.
Final Say -
A must-watch for Woody fans and a nice novelty feature in conception and delivery, Lost in London is let down by mid-tier material and a mostly unengaging plot.
2 1/2 Bono phone calls out of 5