Long Shot

Long Shot

I’ve been hearing a lot of backlash both online and from people in my social circle about this sub-genre of romantic comedies - the ones where a schlubby (a word used so much in reviews for this movie that I’d be happy if I never heard it again), non-Jon Hamm looking, underachieving guy ends up with a gorgeous out-of-his-league woman.  Some people find it unrealistic that Charlize Theron would ever end up with someone who looks like Seth Rogan. Others just don’t find Rogan all that funny.

I have more issues with the parallel sub-genre where a straight-laced, pessimistic, no-personality guy somehow attracts the attention of an adorable manic pixie dream girl, a la Garden State, 500 Days of Summer, Girl Next Door.  (Which isn’t to say that I don’t own all three of them.)  At least with Long Shot, Rogan’s character is funny, passionate, and a good guy at heart.  I buy his romance with Theron way more than Zach Braff/Natalie Portman or Emile Hirsch/Elisha Cuthbert.  I can see why the Secretary of State would be attracted to this guy.

There’s a little too much juvenile humor, tipping too far into the worst of Judd Apatow’s films at times.  Didn’t need so much thirteen-year old boner or awkward sex. The concept of a blackmail video was sufficient, I really didn’t want to see it.  On the other hand, I loved the whole scene where Rogan catches the two aides sleeping together. Comic gold.

At the core of it all, Theron and Rogan are really sweet together.  I like seeing the two of them together, and the glimpses of their lives as First Couple makes me want a sequel.     

It helps that the filmmakers use Roxette’s Must Have Been Love for the key moments in in the movie.  That song does so much heavy lifting all on its own.

Aside: In the scene where they’re looking at the Aurora Borealis, Theron looks amazingly similar to Michelle Pfeiffer.  I wouldn’t mind seeing some movie starring the two of them.

Regret watching: No

Would watch again: Yes

Would buy on DVD: Yes

Rating: Pretty good