Long Shot
review by Drusilla Blakey
Seth Rogen has gone from stoner funny man to a pretty big presence in Hollywood with not only his own starring vehicles, but numerous films and TV shows through his production company with longtime partner Evan Goldberg. For their latest film Rogen is teaming up with the always great Charlize Theron in Long Shot. The film features a great supporting cast including O’Shea Jackson Jr., Andy Serkis, June Diane Raphael, with Bob Odenkirk, and Alexander Skarsgård with The Night Before and Snatched director Jonathan Levine at the helm, but does it bring the laughs or will it fail to get the winning vote?
Long Shot follows a hard-hitting political writer with a talent for trouble and the country’s top diplomat with a talent for...well, everything. When Fred Flarsky reunites with his first crush who also happens to be the current US Secretary of State, Charlotte Field, he charms her with his self-deprecating humor and his memories of her youthful idealism. As she prepares to make a surprise run for the Oval Office, Charlotte hires Fred to punch up her campaign speeches and their unmistakable chemistry leads to a round-the-world affair. But Fred’s carefree indiscretions, past and present, could bring down her campaign before it even begins.
I always enjoy seeing Charlize Theron in something funny. We all know she can kick butt and take names, but being in a funny movie makes the person seem very real and accessible. I also love that she is in this movie with Seth Rogan who to me, is one of the funniest people alive. Maybe he’s not considered a superb or perfect actor, but it’s because he’s so believable at playing a normal person like you and me, that I think he and I could be best friends. That’s how honest and real he is to me, which I think does in fact make him a superb actor (but you can feel free to disagree, it’s okay; I know you are wrong). So, when these funny and astonishing things happen to him in a movie, you can’t help but laugh along.
That’s exactly where this movie takes us…to a place of laughable unbelievability, but also to an emotional place where we are rooting for this underdog, average guy, who wants to get the ‘way too good for him’ girl. He is the awkward guy who doesn’t know how to approach the girl and as luck would have it, insanity ensues. You are watching and wondering ‘how could this happen?’ And then you think, ‘well it could only happen to him’. With that thought, you are dragged in to the story without looking back. I think he gives another amazing performance. He is always so genuine and truly funny; not a forced joke is told – it’s just honest responses to situations that are a little bit out there. You can also tell that he and Charlize got along very well and if it’s not true, then that speaks to their talent of being able to make me feel their friendship through the screen.
All the rest of the cast gave good performances as well that really helped move the story along and kept it fun. This is a must see if you’re looking for a laugh out loud comedy!