Lost in the Sun (2015) User Reviews

Never heard of it . . . but pretty good stuff

[troyboy6868 · 7/10 · 7 November 2015]

I watched this one tonight and was pleasantly surprised. As I had never heard of this movie, I didn't expect much . . . but I ended up being moved enough by the film to write a review on this Saturday night.

The movie is about a boy whose mother has just died. He is going to live with his grandparents in New Mexico and a mysterious stranger offers to give him a ride. Of course, he has no idea what he is in for by accepting the offer and a fascinating "road trip/coming of age" story ensues (with a few surprises toward the end).

I hate long reviews, so let's get to it: I grew up in Texas and the locations used by the director are lonesome and add great authenticity to the movie. The directing was above average by Trey Nelson (who appears to be primarily a TV guy until this film) and I thought the acting was excellent by Josh and especially Josh Wiggins as Louis.

This is a pretty good film if you are in the mood for a lonesome road movie. 7/10 cheers

Emotional

[khan_rado · 7/10 · 4 December 2015]

A road adventure that brings together two completely different characters. A man that is constantly haunted by his past and has many flaws in his personality and a boy whose innocence collides with real life. Opposites at first glance they create a powerful bond.

The story is simple and that's where its charm is. It doesn't pretend to be more than it actually is. It doesn't try to distinguish right from wrong, nor it tries to judge any of the characters. It presents a short moment in time and leaves all the conclusions to the viewer. It has a bit of European feel to itself, especially in the way the scenes don't rush one after the other but rather flow into one another. The dialogues are good and they reveal not only the plot but the characters as well.

The performances are very good, most notable the one from Josh Wiggins. He looks very natural in his role and shows a lot of potential for future success in the field of acting.

Lastly, but not least, the photography and the scenic sets, combined with the beautiful music, give a sense of tranquility and peace.

Gray area in life

[ardentayu · 7/10 · 28 May 2016]

This is a well-acted film for sure. It's nice to see Josh Duhamel in a gritty, dramatic role (brown teeth for the part even). The actor who portrays the kid was excellent as well.

This is a road movie drama with suspense and intrigue. Slow-moving at at times, it's got a moody, eerie feel that just pulls you right in. Should you like Josh's character, should you not? Those answers are not all forthcoming immediately. It's interesting to watch the bond develop between his character and the boy, and at times, your perspective on that may change (true bond? Stockholm Syndrome?). In the extra features, Josh says this was a movie he was trying to make for a long time. It's a independent film definitely worth watching.

Beautiful Movie!

[m1965 · 11 October 2018]

I highly recommend this movie.

Great direction, acting and cinematography.

If you ever wonder where all the good movies have gone, I think the answer is Independent films. Unbridled by the big studios, Independents still churn out great films. Not all of them, but you can definitely count this as one of them.

The dialog and acting, especially by young Josh Wiggins, is superb. Josh Duhamel is a hidden gem as far as lead actors go. He does not disappoint.

If you want a great 'feel good' movie - with heart, great direction, cinematography, dialog and acting - look no further than "Lost in the Sun".

Lost in the rating.

[AnthonyMeg · 7/10 · 28 January 2019]

Well, this is a really great movie, however, some will find it slow-moving. It is a sentimental story that has sort of expected twist in the end but nevertheless it was tip-top film, It definitely could've been better and all but we should not forget to praise the efforts made by Josh, I genuinely believe that he saved the movie, he is underrated actor; the film was substantially about one's pangs of remorse, the notion of being lost in life is the cornerstone of all the script writing of the movie, which was the birth of the movie's name; when your conscience starts eating on you due to all piled up past mistakes, it's basically about different human experience from a particular perspective.

Worth watching but leaves things unfinished

[pjmc-91088 · 6/10 · 1 April 2022]

This movie was definitely better than I expected it to be. It's acting and settings actually made me overlook some of the more questionable moments.

I only give it a 6 though because there are multiple times where I just cant see the kid continuing to cooperate w John. I mean john steals his money and then gives it all to some guy he owes who has him beat down and the kid just kinda shrugs it off and then begins cooperating in the crime spree... but it's fun enough to watch that I still liked it overall.

I also found the entire section where John owed the guy and paid him/ calling and arguing w him later pointless. The bad guys had the kids address and threatened to go there. John never paid them back so will they be going to the grandmas house?? I thought that was gonna be part of the end but it wasnt lol. They just "revealed" John was the father even tho that had already been pointed out.

So yeah it's a 6 for those reasons.

It took 22 years to plagiarize 'A Perfect World'

[deadbull-95171 · 6/10 · 4 April 2023]

Usually duplicates are stolen faster. There are a few minor switches but here we have a reincarnation of 1993's Eastwood / Kostner maudlin extravaganza about a bad guy waltzing around with a kid on a little crime spree. They bind and the whole thing has the expected sad ending, exactly like this. As in rock music, the Stones, or Led Zep were always suing someone and winning for stealing a phrase, but apparently there aren't any intellectual property laws when it comes to movies. All you have to do is change the title.

Does this one hang on its own hook? Yes it does. It's decent, engaging, and mawkish. The twist at the end had been anticipated after about ten minutes into this. Yet and still, even if you didn't know this is what Fatal Attraction did with Play Misty for Me, coincidentally another Eastwood flick ripped off, this is still a decent thing. In the case of Misty I think the rip-off was a better movie, but not this time.

It's another formula, if you don't have a creative thought in your head. Wait for the infants born at the time of the original's release to grow up, copy a script that made money, change the title, and let 'er rip. Literally. Marketing, or put another way, 'There's a sucker born every minute', and I didn't come up with that phrase.

LIFE CAN BE A BORE SOMETIMES, BUT THIS IS GREAT.

[nogodnomasters · 7/10 · 5 July 2018]

This is a bitter-sweet tale (more bitter than sweet) of a man and a boy traveling to Farmington NM. When Louis' mom (Mylinda Royer) dies, His grandparents in Farmington NM, become the guardians. He is a three days bus ride from their rural home. Stranger John Wheeler (Josh Duhamel) offers to drive the teen (Josh Wiggins). John, who is an ex-con, owes money and goes on a crime spree, mostly across Texas, dragging the boy along the way making him become a reluctant participant. John knows Louis' grandmother and has non-revealing flashbacks to their home We can only guess.

The film is a low action crime drama, mostly old school stuff. Not a bad film, but hardly memorable.

Guide: F-Bomb. Implied sex. No nudity.

A modern Road to Perdition

[kdavies-69347 · 5/10 · 14 December 2015]

Lost in the Sun is about family, and the discovery that families differ from person to person. Not every family turns out to have strong bonds, and from time to time, we can downright despise them at times. Lost in the sun centers on a young boy who has lost those bonds and a trip that brings his life into focus.

It's a fairly dramatic story. A young boy loses his mother, and has to travel across the country to live with his grandparents, whom he's never met before. Along comes drifter and lowlife John (Josh Duhmal), who offers to take this young man to his destination. Against his better judgment he hops into the car with this stranger, and begins a journey of self-discovery.

I didn't think it was a copied story. There was a lot of interesting and heartfelt moments. The plot line delivers a lot of teary moments, and as you travel through the country with them, their bond becomes stronger, as does yours with the characters. It was an interesting story too, as each reveal brings you closer and closer to their destination, and it's inevitable end. The thing I did notice is how similar the story was to the movie "Road to Perdition." If you've seen that film, you'll know it's not EXACTLY the same story, but remarkably close in many points. The lost boy, the father figure, the journey they take together across the country. Many of the same elements and emotional moments were in both films.

Overall, it's a decent movie. Better than I thought it would be and I found myself pretty drawn in to the story. It's sad, but in a good way.

5/10

A road movie that extended to a different level of bonding between two.

[Reno-Rangan · 6/10 · 14 June 2016]

I was not overwhelmed by the overall film yet a very enjoyable film for the wonderful direction and the beautiful character displays. The first thing I remembered was 'Paper Moon', but it was when 'Last Ride' meets 'Natural Born Killers'. Clearly, it dealt with its own concept, but I won't deny the influence of those titles this film has. So I believe the writer has been inspired by them.

If you like the road films, then you might enjoy it as well, even though you're not desiring to give high marks. It begins when a 13 year old boy who lost his mother embarks a journey with a stranger to go and live with his grandparents who are on the other end of the country. On their way, the two struggles with their differences, especially in the conflict of interest to take such a trip. But they end up developing a close bond which is at one point comes to tear them apart.

It did not live up to my expectation. Actually, I was not having any expectation because I came to know about it a while ago before finished watching it. Without the character development how much a story going to impress its audience, but this film did by letting them to figure it out by themselves. There is a twist and other turns in the tale, but everything's very easy.

So the film kind of interested me, just for keeping everything simple and telling a tale with a good speed, but obviously not an original or anything extraordinary. Josh Duhamel was amazing, his role along with the kid's make you watch it. Especially after the 'Spotlisght', every a film with priests in it freaks me out like the one from this. Anyway, this is not a must see, but not bad to ignore completely.

6/10

rambling road trip

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 4 December 2017]

Petty criminal John (Josh Duhamel) goes into a gas station and the clerk pulls a gun on him. One week earlier, he gives Louis a ride to his grandparents after his mother's funeral. John pulls a bunch of holdups. They pick up Mary (Lynn Collins) and Rose along the way.

It's kind of a mumblecore crime spree road trip indie. It's not that interesting until the first escape where Louis has to get air. I don't get the situation where they first get together. It's unmotivated until the reveal much later. It leaves the movie feeling rambling at times. It's still questionable why Louis would leave a perfectly fine bus for a ride with a stranger. It's basic stranger danger. Duhamel is barely able to fill the screen by himself and the boy isn't that helpful. There are a few interesting moments but it is lackluster overall. It needs more to tie the reveal into something more poignant. It needs to convince me why the kid would follow a guy he never met before. It would be easier if he's simply hitchhiking and John picks him up.

Simple but very effective film

[LOL101LOL · 10/10 · 28 November 2015]

I sort of stumbled across this film, and thought yeah it has got an OK cast, the ratings on IMDb (specially the amount of 1 votes) were sort of on the low side, but glad I gave it a go.

It has a very simple story line that guides you along from the minute it starts, and I really got caught up in it, the music was partly to blame, but it was filmed with a feeling most high end Hollywood products would kill for.

Great performance by the whole cast, especially the kid, and seeing it has a low score of 6 on IMDb, I gave it a 10 as it deserves a way better rating than it has. If you like a film that gives you that chill kind of feeling, with out blood and guts purely because of the great acting and simple but very effective story, than you will love this film!

10 out of 10

Its very well acted and the premise isn't bad, however the movie is overall a bit sluggish

[Brooklynsmagicmike · 7/10 · 26 February 2021]

This isn't a big budget movie by any means and well there are other actors it mainly revolves around 2. However they steal the show in this and keep you engaged throughout with the excellent job they do with the story. The movie isn't bad watch by any means and its quite emotional especially towards the end. However the problem is getting there, it was bit slow throughout. As well as some parts in movie did nothing to add to dynamic other then just to be filler. I think this movie would done better if maybe it had a lil more action/thrilling scenes. Try it out though and see for yourselves as I seen most of reviews have been mixed.

A road-movie. Beautifully shot. But nothing much happens ...

[peterp-450-298716 · 4/10 · 9 April 2016]

"A scorned woman will tear your heart out, put it between two buns and eat it, just as your life slips away before you. Don't ever forget that."

This is a movie you look back to in retrospect and say : what a beautiful story about two loners, with some magisterial played interactions and lastly, magnificently shot. Such a pity there isn't really anything exciting happening in it. The pace is painfully slow. You can only conclude that this muggy road movie is terribly boring. The story itself is simple and also filmed that way. Unpretentious without unnecessary side plots.

It's all about this teenager Louis (Josh Wiggins) who just left the funeral of his mother and is taken by the local priest to a bus station, with his meager possessions and an envelope full of money. Just when he wants to get on the bus, that'll take him to his grandparents who are prepared to take care of him, he's approached by a stranger called John (Josh Duhamel). Apparently he knows his grandparents and he's willing to give him a ride all the way to the boy's grandparents. Louis doesn't know that John is a selfish, ex-convict who uses people. He'll experience that soon.

You could compare this film a bit with "Mud". A film that has an almost similar format. In "Mud" there's also a criminal who becomes friends with some young boys and uses them to outrun the authorities. It's also a slow, sluggish film about developing relationships between some individuals and without some exciting, action-packed scenes. Although at the end of "Mud", there is a momentary flare-up, in terms of action. In "Lost in the sun" the occasional robberies can provide some momentary excitement. But you still get the feeling this all happened by accident and looks as if it's just part of the trip. Similarly, the interlude with Mary (Lynn Collins) and her daughter Rose (Emma Fuhrmann). An accidental encounter just to point out that John uses others in an unscrupulous way and dumps them afterwards in an indifferent manner. It's also the introduction for a bit of functionally nudity.

Only the performances remain. No bad remarks in that section. Josh Duhamel demonstrates he clearly has some acting talent. He's way better than in "Fire with Fire". But I guess that was because of a crappy script. He won't win an Oscar for his performance here. But it was extremely interesting to see how this unscrupulous layabout gradually shows he actually has some human feelings. The one who really impressed me was Wiggins. This slender, young lad, who sometimes looked like a very young Matt Damon, ends up in a very bizarre situation and his feelings balances between hatred and affection. Although I actually wondered why he stayed with John. So it's all about character development and the bond created between two individuals. How those two are related to each other, is quite obvious at a certain moment.

"Lost in the sun" is a road movie with a dash of drama. And what do you do when you're "on the road" just to pass some time? Indeed, you admire the scenery. And that's something you should do, while watching this smooth, calmly proceeding film, because the scenery is pleasing to the eye and skillfully portrayed. The cinematography is absolutely beautiful. But finally, it's not only appearance that matters.

More reviews here : http://bit.ly/1KIdQMT

Not fully baked but oddly compelling buddy road trip

[bgaiv · 7/10 · 29 October 2022]

I marked this as having spoilers because John being Louis's father isn't supposed to be known? And does not Louis know or at least suspect this? It's hard to believe any of that.

As for other negatives, the apparent mafia guy that beats John and threatens to track down Louis... can this stereotype even pretend to exist in this small town world?

I guess it sounds like I hate the movie. It is entirely half baked, and padded, twice as long as it warrants.

But I found the chemistry of the leads quite gripping. And the father/son criminal road trip in the wake of their woman/mother death is something I've never seen.

It's not top shelf, but it's certainly not a bad watch.

boring boring boring

[sandcrab277 · 1/10 · 11 March 2022]

The guy that said he recommends watching this film obviously had money invested or was a writer, director or actor...this is but one more in a long line of indie productions that fail from the onset and then it spirals further downhill until i turned it off...blech.

Beautifully made, excellent acting. Wonderful!

[peter-stephens2 · 8/10 · 16 November 2015]

Stumbled across this gem. Superbly crafted, fabulous cinematography, brilliant casting and great performances from everyone. Outstanding locations. The expansive angles capture the southern mid-west perfectly.

Characters are rich and absorbing, even those who only feature for a few moments.

The only thing that lets it down is the script, which is a little predictable, but does have the occasional surprise. But the excellent acting carries it off, and for me it's still 8 out of 10.

If you enjoy watching a truly well made film, you'll love this one.

the most beautiful road movie in the world.

[yusufpiskin · 9/10 · 13 March 2020]

I was somehow expecting a mediocre film when deciding to watch this. I always knew by the poster and the casting of Josh Duhamel and Josh Wiggins I would at least enjoy it, but was definitely not expecting such a great film! At this very moment I'm not even sure what's stopping me giving this a deserving 9 star rating here.. I may do in time.

This film is so very underrated going by the lack of talk about it and just going by its page here on Letterboxd alone and the small number of reviews and ridiculously low overall rating score, which may I say right here and now is plain wrong! This film is fantastic.

With an average enough hour and a half runtime, it feels like a lot happens here and plenty of ground is covered throughout. This is a great road trip film and also a great youth and adult "bonding" type film with a brilliant score, cinematography and performances. I was immersed throughout as admittedly I love movies just like this but there's no denying it to be very well made, either way.

Josh Duhamel's character in particular was so interesting to me, he played the role very well of somebody who has a lot going on in his head that you wonder who he truely is. I struggle to find faults in this film and just really enjoyed the experience watching it. I hope it gets some deserved praise someday.

A nice little find

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 5 January 2021]

Small-time crook John (an excellent and convincing portrayal by Josh Duhamel) makes an unlikely and initially reluctant accomplice out of newly orphaned teen Louis (a fine performance by Josh Wiggins). The pair embark on a cross country crime spree. However, John starts having second thoughts about his outlaw lifestyle and getting Louis involved in said lifestyle.

Writer/director Trey Nelson relates the engrossing story at a measured pace, makes lovely use of breathtaking rural landscapes, astutely captures the sadness and humanity of the compelling main characters, offers a colorful evocation of marginal people and places in America, and maintains a low-key thoughtful tone throughout. Moreover, the bond that develops between John and Louis along with strong central themes concerning guilt, trust, and the need for some kind of redemption gives this film a substantial amount of extra depth and poignancy. The satisfying ending manages to be both tragic and happy in equal measure without going overboard on the goopy sentiment. Daniel Hart's harmonic score and Robert Barocci's beautiful widescreen cinematography further enhance the overall sterling quality of this sweet little sleeper.

The way home

[drjgardner · 8/10 · 10 October 2016]

"Lost in the Sun" is a small independent film that itself gets a little lost on the way, but you can enjoy the ride because of the terrific acting from Josh Duhamel (Leo from "All My Children", Major Lennox from "Transformers"), Josh Wiggins ("Max"), Lynn Collins ("Wolverine"), and Emma Fuhrmann ("Blended"). It's a non-traditional road show and it delivers a fascinating look at the back roads of Texas and the meager life of a small time crook with a good heart but little else.

We are all looking for a place that feels like home and people to share it with. For most it isn't a cottage with a white fence and two dogs, and we make the best along the way. Sometimes the search is in vain and sometimes we can get back home, but we can get lost in the sun along the way.

In the great tradition of good independent films

[schroeder-02203 · 8/10 · 27 November 2015]

Except for the gun propping up the story, good - very good - in a European film melancholy joie de vivre, Francois Truffaut, or "Paris, Texas," kind of way. I'm reviewing it because it's quite good. If I'm still remembering it the next day, it was noteworthy. That's in no small measure a credit to excellent photography by Robert Barocci. I'll just say, the story could easily have been written without a gun - 'cuz that's my soapbox. Guns in films are so prevalent, there should be an Oscar for the guns.

The character played by Josh Duhamel isn't very deep, and is kind of an unredeemable punk, but that's the way the character was supposed to be played. Josh Wiggens is excellent in his role as the orphaned boy. The pair are a credible duo. I never thought for a second that the characters were Hollywood contrivances. A lot of critics thought the characters and story were too thin to carry a full-length feature. I disagree. It's a wretched tendency that U.S. filmmakers have of tending toward clobbering audiences with action or sentiment. The characters unfold in a quiet way through their gestures and appearances, as in a Cormac McCarthy novel.

A great haunting score by Daniel Hart is appropriate for the film and plays an unmistakably powerful role in accenting the drama, but I have to admit I'm a bit weary of the rock strings Godspeed You Black Emperor/Explosions in the Sky copycat genre, not because I don't like it, but because it offends my sensibilities that it's been beaten from overuse into flattened roadkill at the edge of a highway. Nevertheless, it's essential to under-girding this drama.

The score's performers got dropped into the post-production credits, I hate to say, because they carried the film through the longer ponderous landscape moments - carried the film more than, say, the hair artists. I looked them up, 'cuz that's how I rolls: Shawna Hamilton (cello), Borak Loftipour (percussion), Veronica Gan (violin), Maria Demus (violin), Annika Donnen (violin). These all seem to be musicians trying to get their footing in the business - all in Texas, I think - maybe Denton.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3593046/

Two thumbs up

[khalidkohist · 10/10 · 25 June 2020]

A well made movie speaks for itself. I don't know what else to add or say

Great movie with a great message, phenomenal acting!! Gr8 cinematography!!

[joiningjt · 9/10 · 5 December 2020]

People who dont get this movie shouldn't give it a review because they'll miss the point. It's an excellent movie with excellent performances by an excellent cast. It's not heavy on action but heavy on heart and keeps the story moving so you're never bored. Trust me watch this especially if you're a parent or a kid who lost a parent 1 way or another!!

I love road movies.

[yusufpiskin · 9/10 · 8 December 2019]

I was somehow expecting a mediocre film when deciding to watch this. I always knew by the poster and the casting of Josh Duhamel and Josh Wiggins I would at least enjoy it, but was definitely not expecting such a great film! At this very moment I'm not even sure what's stopping me giving this a deserving 5 star rating here.. I may do in time.

This film is so very underrated going by the lack of talk about it and just going by its page here on Letterboxd alone and the small number of reviews and ridiculously low overall rating score, which may I say right here and now is plain wrong! This film is fantastic.

With an average enough hour and a half runtime, it feels like a lot happens here and plenty of ground is covered throughout. This is a great road trip film and also a great youth and adult "bonding" type film with a brilliant score, cinematography and performances. I was immersed throughout as admittedly I love movies just like this but there's no denying it to be very well made, either way.

Josh Duhamel's character in particular was so interesting to me, he played the role very well of somebody who has a lot going on in his head that you wonder who he truely is. I struggle to find faults in this film and just really enjoyed the experience watching it. I hope it gets some deserved praise someday

Nice Movie

[forthetollferry · 10/10 · 16 November 2021]

It was awesome. Liked the twist. How movies like this can score so low and crap like Hereditary scores so high is beyond me. Even if you don't care for the story, the cinematography and scenery is bar none.