Long Shot – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
“Unlikely but not impossible” states the poster advertising the unlikely pairing of Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen. That’s the point of course, but this is billed as a romantic comedy and it does deliver on both counts.
We first meet Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogen) when he has infiltrated a white supremacist meeting as an initiate. He’s soon rumbled as a journalist and a Jew. Unbelievably, he gets away before he’s beaten up.
When his independent newspaper is bought by a big conglomerate owned by Parker Wembley (Andy Serkis), he resigns in anger. To cheer him up, bestie Lance (O’Shea Jackson Jnr) takes him to a fancy party where he runs into his boyhood crush, Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron), now Secretary of State. She is clever, charming, beautiful and classy, with a wardrobe to match.
Fred is stuck in a time warp, dressing like a teenage boy and it’s hard to take him seriously the way he presents himself. Much to the horror of her Chief of Staff, Maggie Millikin (June Diane Raphael), Charlotte offers Fred a job as her speechwriter. Charlotte is pushing for a worldwide initiative on climate change and as he gets to know her better, the speeches Fred writes lift her approval ratings.
President Chambers (Bob Odenkirk), a complete twit, tells Charlotte that he is not running for a second term and will endorse her for President. This is her big chance and she grabs it. Canadian Prime Minister James Steward (Alexander Skarsgard) is a possible love interest, but Steward in only good for photo ops.
As Charlotte and the team fly around the world for important meetings, Charlotte and Fred find they have more in common that it would initially appear. When she realizes just much he “gets” her, she starts looking at him differently.
There’s a fair bit of bad language and silliness but it’s fun. A scene where the two get high on drugs is a hoot. To her horror, whilst still high, Charlotte needs to conduct a top-level phone call, something she pulls off with aplomb.
Theron shows a deft touch for comedy and director Jonathan Levine brings out the best in all his actors. I felt the film could have ended a scene before it did but it’s still very entertaining. Lots of laughs.
3.5/5 Rated M (Coarse language, sec and drug use) Released May 2
Stars Charlize Theron, Seth Rogen
Directed by Jonathan Levine
Screenplay by Dan Sterling, Liz Hannah
Story by Dan Sterling
