Most critics respond warmly to Lost in London, with praise centred on the technical and logistical achievement of its live, single-take broadcast. The reviews also credit Harrelson’s self-mockery with giving the autobiographical misadventure much of its humour. His exchanges with Owen Wilson are the most consistently singled-out comic scenes, while the satire of fame and Hollywood in-jokes help make the experiment more than an exercise in keeping the camera running.
The disagreement concerns how well the comedy works beyond that achievement, and the spread is wide. The Evening Standard finds character and plot constrained by the single-take approach, even while enjoying the humour. Radio Times questions how much edge remains without the thrill of the live broadcast. IndieWire is the sharpest dissenter, finding the film slow, tone-deaf and more interested in dropping names than delivering jokes; most other reviews find enough comedy to forgive its limitations.