Long Shot

Whether in The Green Hornet (Michel Gondry, 2011) or in The 40 Year Old Virgin (Judd Apatow, 2005), the actor Seth Rogen clearly does not like to take himself seriously. Conversely, Charlize Theron's filmography is immeasurably more eclectic, with Monster (Patty Jenkins, 2003), Mad Max (George Miller, 2015), The Road (John Hillcoat, 2009), as a non exhaustive list. Therefore, a cinematographic association between this eternal teen and this gorgeous bomb is rather unlikely and completely devoid of any alchemy. And that's definitely the point, the movie regularly flirting with the absurd. Thus, although it is not a masterpiece, the result is globally funny. As a matter of fact, the movie theater was almost crowded and the atmosphere was joyful, with manifold laughs.

A must watch, a treat altogether. Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen, actors way too different in their acting has really made their roles entertaining. Comic timings of Seth as always is perfect and Charlize has performed equally well. It has everything an entertaining movie requires and at no point you will feel any boredom.

I hate romcoms, I find them shallow and boring. I'm not a big Rogan fan either. However, moderately enjoyed this one.

It wasn't great, but the jokes worked and didn't work too hard to get a chuckle. There was a bit of preaching about ideologies, but it was necessary for some of the jokes and plot to play. The climax (literally) gag was a bit unexpected, but it, again, wasn't gratuitous once the point was made. Overall, I liked it.

Congratulations. Romantic comedy, serious derivatives. Nice cast, hilarious and moving scenes, not a shallow piece of art. Because it's a fairy tale, and we want to belive. Even when one denies it all. Try it again. I was lucky to have chosen to watch. We have to insist on this kind of midfull, light approach to serious issues. Au revoir.

Politics is a game of appearances and navigating mass appeal, of course, and it's doubly hard for a woman, no matter how beautiful, how solid her policy positions; early focus groups score Charlotte in the 90th percentile, but "if you were a man, you'd be in the '190s," Lisa Kudrow's press manager admits. The key to ensuring her electability? To bring her 'humor' factor up a few points, to make her seem more relatable to the American public. After all, a woman can't just be smart and capable - she has to be one of the guys, as well. On top of that, she has to be fodder for romantic gossip, whether with Fred or the gormless Justin Trudeau-like James Steward (Alexander Skarsgård), with his toothy grin and inoffensive good looks.

Much the same can be said of Theron, an actress who can seemingly do no wrong, offering crackerjack chemistry with Rogen while standing out in her own standalone comic scenes. Rogen's the funnyman of the equation, but even his wisecracks can't hold a candle to a late-film scene where Charlotte has to suddenly negotiate the return of a captured American soldier while rolling Molly hard. Whether she's kicking ass in full-on action pictures, winning Oscars in prestige dramas, or cracking wise with the best of them in comedies like this, Theron is a movie star of indefatigable range. Hell, I'd vote for her.

All of this only scratches the surface of Long Shot's unconventional charms and doesn't even mention the beautiful, scene-stealing presence of O'Shea Jackson Jr. (an actor I've loved since Ingrid Goes West) as Fred's laidback, successful best friend. But that's the appeal of something as warm, easygoing, and unexpectedly political as Long Shot: if you want to see it for the Seth Rogen jokes, have at it. But fully engage with it, and you'll find a lovely romantic comedy about two people struggling to make a relationship work when the fate of the free world (and public opinion) is at stake.