Long Shot (2019)

The opening scene of Long Shot will make audiences wonder if they are in the right cinema. They came for a rom com and the film starts with a neo-nazi meeting. The scene quickly turns to laughs, in one of the most awkward transitions in a mainstream movie in a long time. This actually sets up what Long Shot is going to be.

Long Shot is half political satire and half part romantic comedy. But the problem is, like much of that first scene, the two sides never quite gel. The political satire half wants to go all in. The jokes are hard edge, the politics unapologetically progressive, often erring on the side of SNL skit absurdity. The rom com part wants to be all charming misfit meet cute, basically Knocked Up all over again. And despite Both Theron and Rogen being really good at what they are doing, this Jeckle and Hyde plot doesn't come together.

But there are extremely funny moments throughout and the film has a charm that makes it enjoyable at times. There are also times when you want to cringe. I kept oscillating between enjoying and being frustrated about it. I certainly did like all the genX references. But the film isn't The American President or even Dave. But I kinda wish it could have been.

Long Shot
Starring: Charlize Theron, Seth Rogan, O'Shea Jackson Jr., June Diane Raphael, Andy Serkis, Randall Park, Lisa Kudrow
Director: Jonathan Levine
Writers: Dan Sterling, Liz Hannah