A Presidential Hopeful and Journalist Find Love in the World of Politics

Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen in "Long Shot"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

One of the most fun things about watching a romantic-comedy is seeing the situation unfold between two people as their chemistry grows during the movie, bringing them from scene to scene as we see where their relationship will go and how they will sort through their differences.

Director Jonathan Levine focuses on this for his film, “Long Shot,” in which he places two actors who you wouldn’t quite imagine seeing in a movie together, but has it thrive on their unlimited on-screen bond.

Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron) is the U.S. Secretary of State who’s planning to run for president.  As she begins her campaign, circumstances arise that have her run into an out-of-work journalist, Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogen), whom she used to babysit.  When Charlotte hires him to punch up her speeches, the two will form a relationship that neither of them expected to happen. 

In this movie, Theron proves that she should do comedies as much as she does dramas.  As she’s proven in 2018’s “Tully” and 2011’s “Young Adult,” Theron has a natural humorous charisma.  She’s an actress whose ability to elicit laughter makes it hard to believe that she hasn’t done many other comedies in the past, but she has a line delivery that makes it feel like she has.  Mixed in with all of this, Theron shows the wide-eyed ambition for success in her character’s fiery spirit as Charlotte works to sidestep what’s expected of her as being a woman in politics and strives towards the causes in which she believes.

Within Rogen’s character are traces of the types of characters that we’ve seen him play before, but the role of Fred has more to him than that because he also has admirable qualities, such as standing up for what he believes in, as well as having to learn how to compromise when need be.  Despite the familiarity between this character and some of Rogen’s other roles, he somehow manages to still be fun to watch because of how committed he remains to making audiences laugh at his go-for-broke antics.

The chemistry between Theron and Rogen is faultless, with the two of them embracing the heart and hilarity of the script and reveling in the numerous comedic back-and-forths that they’re able to share.  Whether they’re having a sweet moment or a crazy moment, Theron and Rogen display the timeless notion of a relationship sparking between the most unlikely people, keeping us invested in how their connection will grow over time and how they will face oncoming challenges.

There’s also a slew of witty supporting performances, such as June Diane Raphael as Charlotte’s by-the-books staffer; O’Shea Jackson, Jr., as Fred’s affluent best friend; an unrecognizable Andy Serkis as an uncouth media tycoon; Alexander Skarsgård as an eccentric Canadian prime minister; and Bob Odenkirk as a dimwitted U.S. president.

Although the screenplay by Dan Sterling and Liz Hannah can be heavy-handed at times when it comes to the political aspects, it nevertheless gives a great deal of laughs throughout its duration.  And, at its best moments, the political backdrop makes for an entertaining way in which to tell the story because of the people and locations that come into the narrative as Charlotte and Fred travel on the former’s campaign.  Both screenwriters have dealt with politics in film before, with Sterling being the screenwriter for 2014’s “The Interview” and Hannah being one of the two screenwriters for 2017’s, “The Post,” so they do a commendable job in bringing their experience in writing political stories to this film. 

There are many memorable lines, and you’ll find yourself laughing from minute to minute with all of the hilarious dialogue, with one of the film’s best quotes focusing on an outlandish suit that Fred’s given to wear at a world leaders summit in Stockholm. 

With a two-hour runtime, Sterling and Hannah allow us to see the many aspects of Charlotte’s political campaign and take advantage of all of the humorous possibilities that can come out of the narrative and letting Charlotte and Fred’s relationship flourish within these events as they come to learn about each other.

Levine is able to bring out the best in Theron and Rogen’s chemistry, creating a vibrancy that makes “Long Shot” an enjoyable watch.  He maintains an energy that permeates throughout the film as he explores modern political campaigns and the many aspects that go into a politician trying to defy the expectations of the voting public.  There are plenty of laughs and smarts to be had here, and despite the movie’s title, enjoying this film won’t be a long shot at all.

Grade: A-