When critics watch a movie, they’re supposed to put aside all the things going on in their little world to focus on the film at hand. Personally, on the day I watched Long Shot, I was having an off day. I tried not to think of the then breaking news that John Singleton, director of the groundbreaking Boyz n the Hood and Poetic Justice, had recently been taken off life support.
From the week-in-advance preview my friend Jamie and I saw at the Ultravision 4 to the opening night of 2005’s Four Brothers, I was there for every one of his films in theaters. But at this moment, I can’t ruminate over the loss of a legendary cinematic voice, I must, instead, watch the latest film by another director of underseen films like All The Boys Love Mandy Lane and 50/50.
“Screw this.” I thought, “Watch the movie and quit thinking about how great it is that John Singleton gave Ice Cube (a.k.a. O’Shea Jackson) his first acting gig.”
The credits rolled out the names of the stars. Charlize Theron. Seth Rogen. June Diane Raphael. O’Shea Jackson Jr. Ravi Patel. Hold up wait a minute. O’Shea Jackson Jr.? The son of Amerikkka’s Most Wanted is in this movie? In a way, Singleton helped get Jackson Jr. this rom-com gig.
Anyway, let’s talk about the film itself. Much like a real life Secretary of State who showed up at the Music Farm in a vain attempt to charm people, Secretary of State Charlotte Field (Theron) is a passionate person who has a hard time coming off as likable and human to the overall public. Enter Fred Flarsky (Rogen), an idealistic investigative journalist who will remind audience members of Seth Rogen and little else. Charlotte was also once Fred’s babysitter. So, that.
Not long after a failed attempt at infiltrating a group of Nazis — including one named Aryan Grande — Flarsky quits his magazine job when it is bought out by a large douche-controlled corporation. Thankfully his Black Best Friend (Jackson) takes him to a wing-ding featuring three-quarters of Boyz II Men and Secretary Field. Flarsky and Field eventually meet and all the “Motownphilly”-era feelings Flarsky once carried for his former babysitter come bubbling back up.
He eventually causes a scene that ends with him becoming a YouTube EpicFail-ish video. Before too long and to the chagrin of her advisers, Field reaches out to Flarsky for help writing her speeches. Soon enough Flarsky and Fields feel some good old fashioned workplace sexual tension while the Secretary Of State tries pushing an environmental plan and a likely run for the presidency. Can you guess what happens next? Have you ever seen a romantic comedy?
Like slasher movies of the ’80s, rom-coms have been following a tried and true formula of boy and girl getting, losing, and getting each other for decades.
In all honesty, it took a little time for me to get really into the film. I partially blame the movie since Jackson’s appearance kept taking me back to his dad’s groundbreaking film and its director.
Eventually, though, I was carefree and along for the ride. Overall it worked for me. The cast was solid. Theron and Rogen’s banter and awkward moments together feel naturally funny and sweet. I mean, this film is more interested in pleasing its audience with rom-com cliches peppered with a familiar-but-fun soundtrack than investigating any of its characters’ lofty ambitions. If the film had lofty ambitions beyond “average joe dates powerful woman,” it would have failed.
However, they could have said so much about the realities of politics. Instead the film turns out to be the self-aware guy’s version of Pretty Woman dabbled with slapstick and a couple gross out scenes. And there, as a critic-person, is where my quibble comes in. There are moments in Long Shot where the comedic fantasy will randomly change it up tonally and take stabs at political satire.
It threatened to derail the movie for me.
Maybe it’s because our political reality is warped at the moment, but most of the political jokes didn’t get many laughs from me. It was as if the movie is saying: “Imagine if our president was a craven idiot more focused on being a star than a politician! Imagine if a news organization was merely a mouthpiece for some asshole and wasn’t filled with actual news! That would be nuts wouldn’t it?”
With the semi-awkward political slant, Long Shot follows its formula and doesn’t pretend to be breaking any ground. Judging by reactions, I’m guessing the audience around me knew what they were in for as well and did not care. Ultimately it charmed us. We’d all walked into a theater expecting to get the full rom-com treatment. A laugh, a possible tear, and a mild penetration of our hardened hearts.
Political nitpickery aside, Long Shot was a predictably fun diversion. You’ll laugh. You’ll likely get swept up in the hijinks and the romance. You may even find yourself saying, “Awww.” It’s no When Harry Met Sally or Love Actually but I’ll take my decent diversions where I can get ’em.
That said, rest easy Mr. Singleton.
Long Shot — Rated R. Directed by Jonathan Levine. Starring Charlize Theron, Seth Rogen, June Diane Raphael, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Ravi Patel, and Alexander Skarsgård.
Help keep the City Paper free.
No paywalls.
No subscription cost.
Free delivery at 800 locations.
Help support independent journalism by donating today.
