Lisa Johnson Mandell’s The Lost City review says the film combines all the cheesy fun of romance novels, combines it with the most charismatic cast in the business, and cooks up a comedy that’s almost irresistible.

Even if this movie weren’t charming and fun and just the sudsy sparkler we need right now, I’m willing to love it for the fact that filmmakers joyfully matched up a feisty 57-year-old female with a hunky 41-year-old male, without batting an eyelash or harping on the age gap.

The chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum is sizzling, ageless and undeniable in this rom com adventure about Loretta, a frustrated romance author and Alan, her charismatic cover model, cavorting in the jungle under duress in an attempt to find a long lost treasure mentioned in her works of fiction.

Adding more surprisingly comedic chemistry to the mix, you have Brad Pitt as Jack, a true-hearted mercenary attempting to help them (he’s full of surprises) and Daniel Radcliff as the evil media mogul scion who kidnaps Bullock.

The plot is really nothing we haven’t seen before, think Romancing the Stone and all the Indiana Jones movies, only with a female lead. It’s just that director brothers Adam and Aaron Nee, who also co-wrote the script with Oren Uziel, Dana Fox, have added in so many dorky bits you can’t help laughing.

Think Loretta accidentally ripping off Alan’s Fabio type wig (Fabio’s hair was real, by the way. I know this for a fact). Imagine Alan and Jack attempting a valiant escape, pushing Loretta in a wheelbarrow while she’s bound to a chair. Imagine Loretta in the same fuchsia sequined jumpsuit for almost the entire film. Almost makes you never want to wear fuchsia sequins, or a jumpsuit, ever again, just in case you get kidnapped.

I like to think of The Lost City like a Sprinkles red velvet cupcake: you don’t want to make a steady diet of it, but it’s a fabulous treat occasionally, especially when the outside world is so gloomy, it brightens the inside world with glorious, gooey goodness, if only for a few hours.

Rated PG-13

1 Hour 52 Minutes

If this The Lost City review makes you want to trot out the the cineplex to see it, get times and tickets at Fandango.com.

Lisa Johnson Mandell’s The Lost City review says the film combines all the cheesy fun of romance novels, combines it with the most charismatic cast in the business, and cooks up a comedy that’s almost irresistible