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There are very few filmmakers who are as skilled at making a gripping docudrama as Paul Greengrass is. Outside the action-heavy Bourne sequels, Greengrass has always leaned into recreating or dramatizing real-life events. His most celebrated, Captain Phillips, is a gripping and tense thriller that tells the story of the 2009 Maersk Alabama hijacking, when Captain Richard Phillips, an American mariner, is kidnapped by Somali pirates. It sounds like a thematically heavy movie, and it undoubtedly is, but it’s also immensely entertaining. Greengrass’ other films portraying real-life tragedies, such as Blood Sunday, United 93, and 22 July, are effective, but also the kinds of movies that almost feel too excruciating to watch.
Greengrass’ latest film, The Lost Bus, based on Lizzie Johnson‘s non-fiction book, Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire, finds him teaming up with Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera to tell a harrowing but ultimately heroic true story that took place during the 2018 Camp Fire in Northern California, the deadliest wildfire in the history of the state. It’s as intense as many of his other films, but despite being set amidst tragedy, it also feels like his most hopeful movie to date. Instead of showing us the worst of what humanity can offer, Greengrass wants to show us some of the best.
What Is ‘The Lost Bus’ About?
Much like how Greengrass narrowed in on a particular point of view in his previous films, The Lost Bus focuses largely on single father Kevin McKay (McConaughey), a high school dropout living in the small mountain town of Paradise, California, struggling to take care of his ailing mother, Sherry (Kay McCabe McConaughey), and has a tumultous relationship with his teenage son Shaun (Levi McConaughey). To provide for his family, Kevin has begun working as a school bus driver, but he finds himself constantly at odds with his supervisor, Ruby (Ashlie Atkinson), who has consistently failed to give him enough shifts. On one particularly rough day, hours after having to put his beloved pooch down, Kevin receives a distress call that 23 school children, alongside their teacher, Mary Ludwick (Ferrera), have been stranded amidst a growing wildfire.
As Kevin embarks on his treacherous rescue mission, he receives a call from Sherry, telling him that Shaun has suddenly become extremely ill and is demanding to go home to his mom. The tension continues to build throughout, as Kevin, Mary, and the schoolchildren make their way through the wildfire in an intense, yet occasionally hollow survival story that is at its best when it’s building tension.
Matthew McConaughey Gives a Quiet but Effective Performance in ‘The Lost Bus’
Similar to all of his other works, Greengrass excels at depicting the real stakes of the situation at hand, without the movie ever feeling too superfluous or sanitized. By mixing in real-life footage, you really do get a sense of the danger that Kevin and Mary are in the midst of. Whenever the movie veers away from the chaos and covers anyone outside the fire, it begins to feel less enthralling. Kevin and Mary have some depth to them that make them compelling characters, but nobody else feels that fleshed out, especially not Ruby, Fire Chief Ray Martinex (Yul Vazquez), or any of the worried parents. It may not be as immersive as something like Captain Phillips or United 93, but you will constantly find yourself at the edge of your seat (or couch, since this is a streaming release).
In fact, the biggest detriment to The Lost Bus is the fact that it’s being sent directly to Apple TV+, instead of giving it a full-fledged theatrical release. While Greengrass has worked with streamers before (Netflix distributed his 2018 film 22 July), The Lost Bus is the kind of movie that relies heavily on its visuals. The intense and stirring nature won’t fully hit in the same way unless you’re watching the film in a theater or with a really good TV.
While some of the awe of the movie comes from the fact that it’s based on a true story, McConaughey and Ferrera’s performances also help the film rise above some of its conventions. It goes without saying that McConaughey has an incredibly recognizable face and voice; he’s one of the most famous movie stars in Hollywood. Yet, he feels entirely believable as Kevin; he doesn’t portray his character as some sort of saint, nor does he lean into his typical Texan demeanor. It may not be his flashiest performance, but that’s clearly the point. Ferrera continues her post-Barbie winning streak with a performance that, much like McConaughey’s, feels very grounded in humanity. Greengrass and Brad Ingelsby‘s script doesn’t give Mary as much depth as Kevin, but it’s Ferrera’s presence that makes her feel more memorable.
‘The Lost Bus’ Plays It a Bit Too Safe
The Lost Bus may have a bit more of a hopeful and uplifting nature compared to Greengrass’ other films, but it also plays to his strengths, almost to a fault. Running at a little over two hours, some moments feel as if they could have been cut out, including the subplot revolving around the Fire Marshall. We already understand the sheer weight and severity of the situation, but the film feels as if it needs to show us everything else that’s going on, even if the characters feel underdeveloped. Ingelsby is an exceptional writer (if you need proof, just go check out his new HBO series Task), but the screenplay doesn’t always perfect the emotional beats as they were intended. Make no mistake, the fiery setpieces are spectacular, but when we only get to know one of the children on the bus, does it really matter that there are 21 others? I mean, we probably should, but the movie seems more interested in having multiple lines of dialogue about the cause of the fire and touting its well-intentioned message on environmentalism as loudly as possible. It’s a great message to have, and an incredibly important one. But you’re able to grasp what the movie is really about fairly quickly.
The Lost Bus may not reach the heights of some of Greengrass’ finest work, but that’s a high bar to reach. Thanks to some immersive setpieces, grounded performances, and stellar direction, the latest film from Apple TV+ rises above its shortcomings, resulting in a gripping docudrama that is worthy of your time.
The Lost Bus opens in select theaters on September 19 and will be available to stream on Apple TV+ on October 3.
- Release Date
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October 3, 2025
- Runtime
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130 minutes
- Director
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Paul Greengrass
- Writers
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Paul Greengrass, Brad Ingelsby, Lizzie Johnson
- Producers
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Gregory Goodman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jason Blum, Brad Ingelsby
- Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera are excellent.
- Paul Greengrass delivers some tense and gripping setpieces.
- Real-life footage is seamlessly injected into the film.
- The script feels a bit hollow and repetitive at times.
- Some of the subplots add nothing to the movie.
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