LONG SHOT: A Heartwarming & Fun Surprise

maRomantic comedies are films that live and die on the strengths of their leads. If they have great on-screen chemistry and their characters are well written, more often than not they’ll turn out to be pretty great. But if they don’t, the results are can be disastrous.

Luckily, Long Shot uses the odd coupling of Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen to its absolute advantage in a Veep meets Pretty Woman style romantic comedy that is sure to stand the test of time. This is thanks to its sharp script, a strong cast, and biting (and timely) political satire.

The Perfect Running Mate

You can’t help but be intrigued (and a little confused) when presented with the pairing of Charlize Theron, one of the most talented and highly esteemed actors of her generation, and Seth Rogen. But Long Shot is well aware of how bizarre it is and runs with it.

As Secretary of State and presidential candidate hopeful, Charlotte Field (Theron), gears up for a tour in preparation for the announcement of her candidacy, she runs into an old friend, investigative journalist Fred Flarsky (Rogen). After Fred gets fired from his job for being too opinionated, Charlotte offers him a job as her speechwriter. And as the two begin spending more time together on the trail, they begin to realize that their reinvigorated friendship could actually be something more.

This is where Long Shot’s 2-hour plus runtime comes into play. The movie actually takes its time in building their relationship, allowing them to be friends first, learn more about the other, and slowly fall for each one another, rather than just throwing them into a romance that it doesn’t earn.

And Rogen is surprisingly game playing opposite Theron. He shows a surprising amount of charm that I’ve never seen him display before. He starts off as crass and neurotic, but he slowly evolves into a sophisticated and charismatic leading man. Someone you could actually imagine Charlize Theron falling for. While the masturbation jokes and crass humor are still there, he is able to balance them with a shocking sense of sensitivity and nuance. It’s a welcome turn for him that suggests he is capable of playing more than just the horny, beleaguered stoner.

They work so well together because their characters are written in a way in which the two’s talents play off of each other perfectly. Because of this, Long Shot nails those comedic beats, while also being a genuinely touching film that speaks to feeling.

MY President is Charlize Theron

While Rogen undoubtedly gives a career-best performance, Charlize Theron carries this movie. Figuratively and literally. Like she actually puts a whole ass man on her shoulders and carries him to safety.

Theron brings that same powerful screen presence to Long Shot that she brings to all of her roles. But in this, her comedic chops are just as sharp as her dramatic ones. Writers Liz Hannah (The Post) and Dan Sterling (The Interview) give her a lot of great material to work with, putting her in situations we’ve never seen her in before and giving her the chance to.

Long Shot sidesteps many of the trappings the other “Beautiful woman falls in love with Seth Rogen” movies run into by giving Charlotte an actual character. Letting her be ambitious and funny, and acknowledging the double standards the media places on female politicians and actresses alike.

No matter what scene she’s in, Theron is always the smartest, funniest, and most talented actor. So, yeah, if you didn’t know it yet, she’s kind of amazing.

A Strong Platform

Since Long Shot is a romantic comedy centered around politics, it’s pretty much a given that it’ll take some shots at America’s current political climate. And while granted, it hits most of its targets, its messages at times can also be a bit muddled.

It does a good job of poking fun at today’s politicians who care more about numbers than people and even goes out of its way to criticize both sides of the aisle for this.

Long Shot tries to appeal to and criticize every area of the political spectrum, trying to establish some sort of middle ground with differing ideologies. And while that’s perfectly fine, in doing so, it just loses the potency and sting of a show like Veep that really goes for the throat taking a firm stance. In doing so, you get a bit confused as to what the film is really trying to say.

With that being said, Long Shot still offers up some pretty brilliant and hilarious commentary in the form a Rupert Murdoch-esque media tycoon played by Andy Serkis, and Bob Odenkirk as a television-star-president who Field serves under.

Long Shot: Conclusion

The unlikely duo of Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen works like a charm thanks to their phenomenal chemistry and a strong script. And it isn’t just there for the laughs, the film has a lot to say about the current state of the world, politics, and how we treat each other.

And though it lacks a certain edge, Long Shot is a tight, funny, and warm comedy with a ton of heart and two fantastic performances at its center.

What did you think of Long Shot? Would you vote for Charlize Theron to be president? Let us know in the comments below!

Long Shot is now playing in theaters worldwide.