**The Lost Bus**
*Starring:* Matthew McConaughey, America Ferrera, Kay McCabe McConaughey, Levi McConaughey, Ashlie Atkinson, and Yul Vazquez
*Directed by:* Paul Greengrass

There are very few filmmakers as skilled at making gripping docudramas as Paul Greengrass. Outside the action-heavy Bourne sequels, Greengrass has always leaned into recreating or dramatizing real-life events. His most celebrated film, *Captain Phillips*, is a tense thriller that tells the story of the 2009 Maersk Alabama hijacking, in which Captain Richard Phillips, an American mariner, is kidnapped by Somali pirates. Though thematically heavy, it is also immensely entertaining.

Greengrass’s other films portraying real-life tragedies—such as *Bloody Sunday*, *United 93*, and *22 July*—are effective but often feel almost too excruciating to watch. His latest film, *The Lost Bus*, based on Lizzie Johnson’s non-fiction book *Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire*, teams him up with Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera to tell a harrowing yet ultimately heroic true story from the 2018 Camp Fire in Northern California, the deadliest wildfire in the state’s history.

As intense as many of his other films, *The Lost Bus* is, despite its tragic setting, arguably Greengrass’s most hopeful movie to date. Rather than showcasing the worst of humanity, Greengrass chooses to highlight some of the best.

Much like how Greengrass narrowed in on a specific point of view in his previous films, *The Lost Bus* focuses largely on single father Kevin McKay (Matthew McConaughey). Kevin is a high school dropout living in the small mountain town of Paradise, California, struggling to care for his ailing mother, Sherry (Kay McCabe McConaughey), while managing a tumultuous relationship with his teenage son, Shaun (Levi McConaughey).

To provide for his family, Kevin has begun working as a school bus driver but finds himself at odds with his supervisor, Ruby (Ashlie Atkinson), who consistently fails to give him enough shifts. On a particularly rough day—hours after putting his beloved dog down—Kevin receives a distress call that 23 school children, along with their teacher Mary Ludwick (America Ferrera), have been stranded amidst a rapidly growing wildfire.

As Kevin embarks on a treacherous rescue mission, he also receives a call from Sherry, revealing that Shaun has suddenly fallen seriously ill and is demanding to go home to his mother. The tension builds throughout as Kevin, Mary, and the schoolchildren make their way through the wildfire in a survival story that is intense yet occasionally hollow. The film is at its best when building tension.

Paul Greengrass excels at depicting the real stakes without the movie ever feeling superficial or sanitized. By mixing in real-life footage, viewers get a palpable sense of the danger Kevin and Mary face. However, whenever the story veers away from the chaos of the fire and shifts to other characters outside the danger zone, it feels less enthralling.

Kevin and Mary are given some depth, making them compelling characters. However, others—such as Ruby, Fire Chief Ray Martinez (Yul Vazquez), or the worried parents—feel underdeveloped. It may not be as immersive as *Captain Phillips* or *United 93*, but *The Lost Bus* keeps you at the edge of your seat (or couch, since this is a streaming release).

One of the film’s biggest drawbacks is its direct-to-streaming release on Apple TV+ instead of a full theatrical run. While Greengrass has previously worked with streamers (*22 July* was distributed by Netflix), *The Lost Bus* relies heavily on its visuals. Its intense and stirring nature won’t hit the same unless seen in a theater or on a high-quality TV.

The performances by Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera help the film rise above some of its conventions. McConaughey, one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars, gives a believable, grounded performance as Kevin. He does not portray his character as a saint nor lean into his typical Texan persona. It’s not his flashiest role, but that is clearly intentional.

Ferrera continues her post-*Barbie* winning streak with a performance that, much like McConaughey’s, feels very human. Though Mary Ludwick does not have as much depth as Kevin, Ferrera’s presence makes her memorable.

*The Lost Bus* may be more hopeful and uplifting than Greengrass’s other films, but it also plays to his strengths—almost to a fault. Running a little over two hours, some moments feel unnecessarily drawn out, including a subplot involving the Fire Marshall. While the gravity of the wildfire is well established, the movie seems intent on covering multiple storylines, even if some characters feel underdeveloped.

Brad Ingelsby’s script is exceptional overall, but the screenplay doesn’t always land the emotional beats as intended. The fiery set pieces are spectacular, but when only one child on the bus is developed, it undermines the emotional impact of the 21 others. The film often leans heavily into dialogue about the fire’s cause and environmental messages, sometimes at the expense of character development.

That said, the environmental message is important and well-intentioned—you quickly grasp what the movie is about. Ultimately, *The Lost Bus* is a gripping portrayal of heroism amid disaster, bolstered by strong lead performances and Greengrass’s skilled direction.

*Courtesy: Collider.com*
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