Long Shot Review

 (A version of this article originally appeared on kernelnow.com / mynewslike.com)

Long Shot is a film so self-aware of its Pretty Woman homaging that it actually features a scene where a song from that film’s soundtrack plays – album artwork and all. But being on-the-nose is a large part of Seth Rogen’s comedic appeal; it’s that Seth MacFarlane/South Park brand that’s been bubbling to the surface of mainstream comedy for most of this century. Rogen, Charlize Theron and director Jonathan Levine seem keen here to blatantly point out the ridiculousness of the debate surrounding similarly gender-swapped films like Ghostbusters or Ocean’s 8, choosing to do so in the rare portrayal of a male romantic comedy protagonist.

King of wishful thinking
(source: Lionsgate)

Make no mistake – this is a romantic comedy in the whollest of senses. Much like the genre’s modern hits such as Knocked Up all the way through to The Big Sick, it transports the fairy-tale of romance to a recognisably millennial setting. Events in the real world have transpired that a strong female political figure like Charlotte Field (Theron) is believable if still lumbered by sexist obstacles, and Long Shot deals with both sides of that particular coin. However, the idea of masculinity has also evolved to the point that a journalist could be the truth-seeking, sneaker-wearing Fred Flarsky (Rogen) and not the womanising, suit-wearing stereotype of old.

One of the forerunners of the modern female film star, Theron is able to use the strength born from her many action roles to compliment a wicked comedic rarely seen before. Her chemistry with Rogen is undeniable, and their dynamic does most of the legwork needed to convince the viewer to root for this oddest of couples by the end of the film.

No one could look as good as her
(source: Lionsgate)

 Those buying a ticket to see slapstick and gross-out comedy should find enough to discuss around the water cooler, as Rogen doesn’t shy from his sarcastic “Frat Pack” roots. Similarly, anyone wishing to indulge in the haughty settings of culture-clash rom-coms ought not be disappointed: Pretty Woman’s uptown Los Angeles limo rides become Washington DC jet-setting, all to locations so otherworldly that it would be impossible not to fall in love against such backdrops. Clearly, the genre’s imitation is never (solely) intended to mock.

It must have been love
(source: Lionsgate)

What the film does choose to mock are the double-standards of both the fictional and real world. The more scathing critiques are aimed at the professional backgrounds of Field and Flarsky, those two most American fields of politics and journalism. Bob Odenkirk is a thinly-veiled caricature of the former as actor-turned-leader of the free world President Chambers, who is admittedly more of a punch-line than a real threat to the story. Instead, it’s Andy Serkis as media mogul Parker Wembley who poses more of a danger; he’s creepy, bloated, leering and sinister, looming over everyone’s professional and personal ambitions. Surprisingly, Long Shot doesn’t limit itself to left-wing arguments, pointing out on multiple occasions that viewpoints from across the political floor do not exclusively a bad person make.

The fact that a man could be the romantic underdog, the chaser as opposed to a lofty goal, is celebrated by Fred and his best friend Lance, played by the always-terrific O’Shea Jackson Jr. Of course, there is a cynical edge to this: for obvious reasons, a male-based gender swap would not (and has not) caused the same uproar as the retellings mentioned at the start of this article. Through casual slights at known domestic abusers and far-right belief systems, it’s clear that writers Dan Sterling and Liz Hannah have more to say on this than a mainstream rom-com would perhaps allow. Credit to them for instead choosing the higher ground, showcasing that if the story fits then performance should be the only issue.
 

Real wild children
(source: Lionsgate)

Long Shot often seeks to point out rather than undo the injustices that somehow still exist in our modern social climate. The commentaries it seeks to make are only rarely overwhelming to the plot at hand, though it is thankfully aware of any point where it might be “a bit much”. It’s a film simply shot and plotted – just like its predecessors it so keenly reveres – but that doesn’t stop it being an ample film for both date night and debate night.