Sauve Sidle in Lost Soulz (Donald Monroe/Kino Lorber)

There is no wheel reinvented in Lost Soulz, nor a plot point that isn’t telegraphed. In fact, there is not much of a plot to speak of at all. Essentially, it is a hip-hop road movie musical full of good vibes and great music. It has a lackadaisical, mellow approach mirroring the characters’ proclivity to mostly spend their time in a smoky weed-infused haze. Luckily, the charismatic performances, excellent music, and writer-director Katherine Propper’s ability to create and sustain mood pushes Lost Soulz over some slow patches.

Sol (Suave Sidle), an aspiring rapper, feels destined for the big time. At the moment though, due to family troubles, he is staying with the family of his best friend, Wesley (Siyanda “Yung Bambi” Stillwell). Wesley is also Sol’s beatmaker and manager. One night, while playing a house party, he meets the Lost Soulz, a contingent of rappers and singers currently touring the country. Impressed with Sol’s skills, they invite him to tour with them with the possibility of becoming a member. Sol accepts, and his odyssey begins.

Lost Soulz may well have been called Lost Boyz as all the members are escaping a trauma from the past and have found an alternate way of living under the watchful eye of their manager, Nina (Krystall Poppin), who could easily be their Peter Pan. With Sol in tow, they barnstorm the Midwest on their way to a gig in El Paso, taking in the sites, bonding, and freestyling rap verses. This is where the film drags a bit simply because it goes on to long. Though the performers (who are actually rappers and musicians) command the screen, there’s only so much they can do with clearly improvised dialogue and scenes. Eventually, they reach El Paso and the plot proper kicks in. (The movie is halfway over by then.)

The camaraderie, which is the glue of the film, extends to the music that’s created. When the group goes to a friend’s house and collectively improvise a full song, Propper captures the energy, joy, surprise, and excitement of collective creation. It’s the heart of the film.

Lost Soulz works better than it should because Propper easily manages to bring pathos and a freshness to it, thanks to the frankness of the performances. She also captures the youthful joy of discovering like-minded souls beautifully, which provides a rush when the film is firing on all cylinders.