One of the biggest comedic surprises of 2019 arrived earlier this summer with Long Shot. The Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen starring rom-com is absolutely hilarious and will pull at those heartstrings as well.
Let’s get this immediately out of the way. Rogen is hardly the ideal rom-com leading man. But with how Long Shot is written, directed, acted and played out over its delightful 90-plus minutes, that fact never plays into the mental equation.
Rogen and Charlize Theron possess a cinematic chemistry that is downright combustible. From the moment they share a scene together in the story’s first 10 minutes, something extraordinary occurs. The viewer cannot help but pull for these two to become one.
In Long Shot, Theron is the current secretary of state who reports to POTUS (hilariously portrayed by Better Call Saul star Bob Odenkirk). The veteran actor’s big screen president won his election after portraying a POTUS in a hit TV show. A connection to our current executive branch, what with its reality TV star turned leader of the free world, is not by accident. President Chambers has summoned Theron’s Charlotte Field to the oval office to inform her that he will not seek a second term (why is the source of many laughs throughout) and that he wants to endorse her to campaign to be the nation’s first female president.
Rogen’s Fred Flarsky is introduced in the most stunning way. He is a reporter for a Brooklyn online publication that allows him to speak his mind about the goings-on of the day in the most raw, real and revolutionary way. Fresh from going undercover in a white supremist group to get a hot story, Flarsky learns that a Rupert Murdoch type has purchased his publication. He responds by quitting. Newly unemployed but still possessing a voice that motivates those who share his political leanings, his BFF Lance (Straight Outta Compton breakout O’Shea Jackson Jr.) takes him to a swanky party where Flarsky and Chambers lock eyes. His presence is requested by her security detail. They establish that she used to babysit him when he was a young teen and she was a slightly older teen. She saw her life’s mission as doing her best to save the world, oftentimes from itself, and he just wanted to write about it.
Chambers likes what she sees (and hears) from him and offers him a job on her staff to punch up her speeches with humor and insight that are uniquely his. This is where the film’s moniker becomes crystal clear in a way that is beautiful to see unfold. Not only is the secretary of state a long shot to become the next president of the United States, but these two souls are a long shot to find love. There is something utterly touching, delightful and endearing about how both lines of storytelling intertwine and are realized. Dan Sterling (who penned the lightning rod of a movie known as The Interview) and Liz Hannah (she wrote the exquisite The Post, which also deals with journalism and its role as the Fourth Estate) have crafted a screenplay that grabs you immediately and never lets the heart and mind go until long after the credits have rolled. Actually, this is a movie that will stick with you for some time. It is the rare intellectually charged rom-com that doesn’t pander to the lowest common denominator. Instead, it asks much of its audience, and the payoff is huge.
Director Jonathan Levine (he helmed Rogen’s 50/50 and wrote the zom-com Warm Bodies) has an utter gem on his hands with Long Shot. His touch is pitch perfect as the helmer keenly knows how to play the ebbs and flows of the story. Levine fosters a stellar creative landscape that combines a priceless mix of romance, comedy, political gameplay and the geopolitical realities of the world, circa 2019. Whether this concept, its cast and even its humor work all hinges on the cinematic IQ of its leader. Luckily for all involved, Levine is at the wheel.
Rogen emits his usual comedic charm, but it is taken to a whole new level with his embodiment of Flarsky. One gets the sense that this is a character that is not too far removed from who he is at his own core. Now, not saying that he is playing himself by any means. It is just that his part in Long Shot clearly touched him on a myriad of levels and as such, the actor has breathed life into a part that could have been two-dimensional.
Theron further shows why the Oscar winner is such a talent and a true gift to the thespian arts. She embraces her inner comic while still projecting the image of a stateswoman of the highest order. The viewer never doubts for one moment that this force of nature could be our next president. She plays Chambers as a driven soul who never stopped to smell the roses. Why would she? The world is on a dangerous path and it takes every moment of every day to combat the evils that seek to derail the promise of the democratic experiment that is otherwise known as the United States of America. A perfect example of that is a scene where Chambers and her staff are in Paris. She decides to let it all hang out for the first time in decades with Flarsky. Only thing, a highly dangerous international situation is rapidly unfolding, and the world immediately looks to her to solve it. Talk about a fierce test for the aspiring POTUS! How the actress plays both sides of the evening is a testament to her talent, the writers of the screenplay and, of course, the direction of Levine.
The supporting cast is terrific. To watch them play in this sandbox elevates the fantastic fun of Long Shot. Leading the charge is the character Maggie Millikin, essentially Chambers’ chief of staff, as portrayed by June Diane Raphael—who gets a breakout role after years of supporting parts in films (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and television (Grace and Frankie). She is firm, fair and powerful, yet willing to be educated in matters that are outside her knowledge zone. Although Jackson’s Lance is a pivotal role in terms of catapulting Flarsky into this entire endeavor, he does not get much screen time. The son of Ice Cube makes the most of it and adds another triumphant chapter to his ever-enriching resume.
Long Shot embraces its rom-com roots and does something that is becoming quite pervasive in films as our society has become more nostalgic with each passing decade. There’s a mention of Pretty Woman and a discussion between Flarsky and Chambers about how Must Have Been Love by Roxette is such an underrated piece of movie sonic succulence. Then, filmmakers directly mirror the inspired cinematic moment in a way that makes it their own. There has been quite a bit of that occurring in films of late and it is a side effect of today’s nostalgia-soaked audiences. In the case of Long Shot, it works. But filmmakers need to be quite careful when referring to past seismic pop culture moments when creating their own, as to not appear to be embracing something so ingrained in the public’s conscious that originality is forsaken.
The film is several things on a more visceral level as well. There is a tad bit of art imitating life, what with wishing that our politicians on both sides of the aisle would lead us in a manner that befits our country’s greatness—as is done in Rogen and Theron’s film. It is also the rare R-rated rom-com where the comedy feels authentic, grounded and raw where it needs to be, all without drifting into sordid silliness. Then, there is the romance. You must cherish a film that makes you want to hug your significant other a little tighter.
Rogen and Theron’s flick is the feel-good moment that we collectively need right now as a society, what with the 2020 presidential campaign kicking into high gear. It also has an appeal that transcends classification. Who will enjoy this early summer sure-to-be hit? A cross-section of fans of political movies, comedies, rom-coms, Rogen fans, Theron fans and even those who enjoy the fish-out-of-water milieu.
On paper, Long Shot seems like a long shot that it would work. In what world would Theron show any kind of romantic interest in Rogen? In the universe painted by Hannah, Sterling and Levine, that’s where. Frankly, it’s a world we should aspire to as it is bursting with hope, heart, hilarity and, yes, features a politician acting in a manner we wish all of our leaders would embody.
The bonus features are a joy, fitting given that the film as a whole is exactly that. Too often with home video releases, studio’s “making-of” featurettes are all-too short and leave you wanting more. That’s a good thing, sure, to leave ‘em hanging for additional insight. Some of that can be discerned from the audio commentary track by the filmmakers and stars. It’s just that sometimes it’s nice to have a behind-the-scenes look at the movie be a self-contained, almost documentary, look at how the art was crafted by the artists. All’s Fair in Love and Politics: Making Long Shot is an insightful and highly entertaining almost 30-minute tour at what it took to bring this rom-com to life. Its tone reflects the film. The sentiment of its stars also charms in the most glorious of manners and above all else—it should serve as the bar for how rom-com BTS featurettes are made and presented.
Seven Minutes in Heaven: Seth and Charlize Uncensored is an utter blast. Taking a cue from their R-rated romantic comedy, the two stars join forces for a hilarious and heartfelt look at the joys of working with each other. The interview of the pair is literally seven minutes long and, in all facets, it works wonders. 1080p; 6:55) is a fun and often funny joint interview with the stars.
An expertly crafted featurette that focuses on the supporting ensemble behind Rogen and Theron gets the spotlight with Secret Weapons. From Raphael’s Maggie Millikin, who steals scenes throughout the film, to Jackson’s Lance and even Alexander Skarsgard (who slays it as the Prime Minister of Canada) collectively get the star treatment and add insight that is priceless.
It is rare that a romantic comedy Blu-Ray features any kind of action sequences that is worthy of a home video BTS look at “how did they do that?” That occurs big-time with Epic Flarsky Falls. That stunning window jumping sequence answers that question in the most informative and entertaining way.
Although his role is small(er), Skarsgard wows us with not only his spot-on Canadian accent, but a nuanced turn with a multi-faceted character (that could have easily been two-dimensional in the hands of any other actor). Deservedly so, he gets the full featurette treatment with Prime Minister Steward O-Rama. Also, delightful fun is Hanging With Boyz II Men. The Philadelphia soul singing sensation appear in a pivotal scene in Long Shot and it’s so fabulous that filmmakers and producers gave the trio their BTS due with this fantastic featurette.
The First Mister: A Portrait takes a seven-minute look at Fred, aka Rogen, and finds him giving viewers a hilarious tour around the White House, including visiting with Todd McFarland, who crafted our fictional first gentlemen’s “official White House portrait”.
Lastly, a trio of featurette each bring the Long Shot experience full circle. An Imperfect Union looks at how the cast managed (or didn’t!) to keep a straight face during some of the flick’s more hilarious moments. Love and Politics delivers a fascinating look at why filmmakers stress having an emotional connection to characters between audiences and the big screen and how it amps up the hilarity and finesses our feelings. Then, there’s Friends Like These answers any of the remaining questions one might have about the supporting ensemble.
Film Grade: A-
Bonus Features: A