Long Shot Movie Review: Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron Are Hilarious in This Entertaining Romcom With Nice Feminist Touches

Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron find themselves hitched together in a very quirky romcom this week. Long Shot matches up the class of the Oscar-winning Theron with the irreverence of Rogen in a romance that is funny and interesting, fantastical yet feels possible. Long Shot turns out to be quite a pleasant surprise coming at a time when I was least expecting Hollywood to deliver a romantic comedy that feels relevant. The movie is directed by Dan Sterling and Liz Hannah. Charlize Theron Reveals her 7 Year Old Child, Jackson is a Transgender and is Now Being Raised as a Girl.

Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogen) is a journalist who finds himself out of work when his ethics clash with that of his employer. Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron) is the US Secretary of State who is in the running to be the next President of the country. While our protagonists are as different from each other as chalk and cheese, they share a common history. Charlotte used to babysit Fred when they were kids and the latter used to have a crush on her.

A chance meeting at a charity event rekindles their acquaintance. After getting a glimpse at his ideals, Charlotte hires Fred to write speeches for him for the Presidential campaign. Getting to be together in the name of work strikes the spark of a romance between the two. But Charlotte's ambitions and the unscrupulous elements around them threaten to drive a wedge between them.

Seth Rogen's past brushes with the genre of romcom may have worked at the box office, but they have often been criticised for their nihilistic attitude towards women (Say, hello Knocked Up!). A change in this attitude is exactly what makes Long Shot such a refreshing watch. The movie has the right amount of feminist touches without making either of the genders look down upon each other. Charlotte, the female lead, benefits greatly from the casting of a terrific Theron, who brings a lot of gravitas in what could have been a breezy role for her. She displays the right amount of strength and frailty to make her character so convincing and likeable. Which is why, the conclusion (which, I am sure, may not go down well with some) is a pleasant victory in itself. It is also fun to watch Theron, who has done some serious projects in recent times, get herself loose here and go along with the carefree flow.

With Rogen, Theron might form an unusual pairing, but guess what, the movie manages to sell them as a mismatched couple that could work. Brownie points for the seamless chemistry that the two stars share with each other that makes this reverse Pretty Woman, as some Tweeple are calling it, work. The political elements in the plot, that cause some concerns at times, take a backseat as we are seriously invested in their love story. Predictable and formulaic, yes. Risque, oh yes. Genuinely heartwarming, also yes.

Even the 'com' in the romcom works to a great extent. From that hilarious opening sequence involving Fred, a Jew, posing as a Neo-Nazi to get a scoop to a hilarious supporting cast, there are plenty of laughs. O'Shea Jackson Jr as Fred's BFF Lance is terrific. Andy Serkis, hidden within layers of prosthetics, steals the show whenever he appears on screen. June Diane Raphael, Alexander Skarsgard and Bob Odenkirk are all good in their respective roles.

Watch the trailer of Long Shot here:

The one big flaw with Long Shot is the runtime, though, which feels excessive near the end. A couple of scenes could have been trimmed away, like a hostage situation in the latter half that feels irrelevant to the main plot.

Yay!

- Charlize Theron

- Theron and Rogen's Chemistry

- The Love Story is Entertaining

- Terrific Supporting Cast

- Heartwarming Conclusion

Nay!

- Some Trademark Rogen Jokes

- The Length

- Predictable Tale

Final Thoughts

Long Shot is a surprisingly charming romantic comedy that works at most levels. Its biggest plus point is finding a balance between  Seth Rogen's bratty irreverence and Charlize Theron's effortless classiness. Long Shot is a much-needed fun addition to the tapering relevance of good romcoms these days.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 24, 2019 02:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).