Romantic dramas often rely on grand gestures, misunderstandings, or elaborate twists to keep audiences invested. Mike Southerly’s debut feature, Lost With You, takes a different route. Instead of building its story around spectacle or melodrama, it focuses on two strangers spending a single afternoon together, talking, debating, laughing, and slowly discovering that first impressions rarely tell the whole story.
The film opens with a simple but intriguing question: “Who are you when no one’s watching?” It is a question that hangs over the entire narrative and serves as the catalyst for everything that follows. Accompanied by sweeping drone shots of Los Angeles and its surrounding hills, we are introduced to Naomi (Madison Shamoun), a young woman struggling to answer that very question for an important essay assignment.
Hoping a solitary hike will help clear her head, Naomi heads out onto one of Los Angeles’ famous trails. Before she can get very far, she encounters Ethan (Jake Short), a friendly and knowledgeable hiker who offers advice about the route ahead. What begins as a brief conversation soon turns into a shared journey, with the pair deciding to continue the hike together.
From there, Lost With You becomes less about where the characters are going physically and more about where their conversations take them emotionally.
Both Naomi and Ethan are carrying emotional baggage. They are coming out of failed relationships and trying to figure out where their lives are heading next. As the miles pass beneath their feet, barriers gradually come down and genuine connections begin to form. The beauty of Southerly’s screenplay is that it allows these moments to develop naturally. Rather than forcing romance into every scene, the film focuses on curiosity, understanding and honest communication.
Naomi comes from a conservative, faith-based background in Ohio, while Ethan is a Los Angeles local with more liberal views and aspirations of becoming a documentary filmmaker. In reality, he currently works as a celebrity home tour guide, driving tourists around Los Angeles while dreaming of something bigger. Their differing perspectives create plenty of opportunities for discussion, but the film never turns those conversations into shouting matches or caricatures. Instead, both characters are allowed to express their views thoughtfully, creating genuine dialogue rather than political point-scoring.
What elevates the film beyond a simple walking-and-talking romance is how often it surprises. There are several quirky and imaginative moments scattered throughout the runtime, including a particularly amusing sequence in which Naomi jokingly imagines Ethan as a potential serial killer. The scene cleverly references Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, with Ethan running through a snowy maze in a playful homage to Jack Nicholson’s famous pursuit through the Overlook Hotel hedge maze. It is an unexpected moment of humour that fits perfectly with the film’s light, charming tone.
The supporting characters they encounter along the trail also help keep the narrative fresh. One standout is a woman walking a dog named Bark Obama, who amusingly explains that she gained custody of the pet during a divorce. These brief encounters often function as small reflections on relationships, life choices and personal growth, while adding extra personality to the journey.
Visually, Lost With You is impressive throughout. Cinematographer Oktay Ortabasi makes excellent use of the natural beauty surrounding Los Angeles. Rather than relying on static setups, the camera frequently moves alongside the characters, creating a sense of momentum and making viewers feel like they are sharing the hike with Naomi and Ethan. The tracking shots are particularly effective, giving the film a sense of energy despite its relatively simple premise.
The natural lighting is used wonderfully throughout, capturing the warmth of the California sunshine and the beauty of the hills, trails and city vistas. Combined with strong colour grading and thoughtful framing, the film often looks far more expensive than its independent roots would suggest.
The editing, handled by Southerly himself, also deserves praise. With a story that largely consists of conversations between two people, pacing could easily become an issue. Instead, the film flows smoothly from one discussion topic to the next, using scenic cutaways of hillsides, local landmarks, flora and winding trails to maintain visual interest. These moments never feel like filler and help create a genuine sense of place.
The soundtrack and score by Roger Suen further enhance the experience. The music consistently complements the visuals without overwhelming them, adding warmth and emotion to key scenes while helping transitions feel seamless.
Performance-wise, the film belongs to its two leads. Madison Shamoun is excellent as Naomi, bringing intelligence, vulnerability and humour to a character who could easily have become unlikeable in less capable hands. Naomi begins the film carrying a number of assumptions about the world and the people around her, but Shamoun ensures she remains sympathetic throughout.
Jake Short is equally strong as Ethan. His easy-going charm makes it immediately believable why Naomi would feel comfortable spending an entire day with him. Ethan’s patience, optimism and willingness to listen make him an engaging screen presence, and Short handles the role with confidence and warmth.
Most importantly, the chemistry between the pair feels authentic. Their conversations never feel scripted or forced. Instead, they resemble the kind of discussions people genuinely have when getting to know someone they find interesting.
At its heart, Lost With You is a film about connection. It explores how easy it has become to dismiss people based on assumptions, labels or differing viewpoints, while reminding audiences that real understanding often begins with simply listening.
Mike Southerly’s feature debut is thoughtful, charming and refreshingly optimistic. Supported by strong performances, beautiful cinematography, confident editing and an engaging screenplay, Lost With You delivers a romantic drama that feels both timely and timeless. It may centre on two people walking through the hills of Los Angeles, but its themes reach far beyond the trail itself.
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