SXSW 2019 Review: LONG SHOT: Run For President, Charlize Theron!

“I either get killed in my movies or I kill a lot of people in my movies. I get bored. I don’t want to do the same shit. But this is not my wheelhouse.”

Charlize Theron made it clear to the audience how nervous she was to show Long Shot. If you spent your entire career doing dramas and action thrillers, comedy can seem like a challenge, especially when it’s Seth Rogen‘s comedy. I can say now with great confidence that Theron is absolutely sensational. Which leads me to the core of this review: Long Shot is a very pleasant surprise.

The Perfect Premise for Seth Rogen

I promise this is a compliment. Seth Rogen comedies are good when the world of the movie is consistently against Seth Rogen. When Rogen is always framed as the butt of a joke in his movie, it makes you sympathize his character. It works every single time and it works to perfection here.

Rogen’s Fred Flarsky is a man down on his luck. He’s a hardworking and idealistic journalist, who wouldn’t hesitate to call out on a politician or corporation’s bullshit. That is until the publication he works for got bought out by a media conglomerate. Now that he’s jobless, his best friend (played by O’Shea Jackson Jr.) takes him to a party, only to find that his childhood crush, Charlotte Field (Theron), is now the country’s Secretary of State, attempting a 2020 presidential run. After their reunion, Fred is quickly hired to be Charlotte’s new speechwriter. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, as you can guess, everything goes wrong. And it’s delightful to watch. From the start, Rogen sticks out like a sore thumb in the group. While everyone is wearing a fancy suit, out walks Rogen, sporting an overly colorful wind jacket. He may be good at political journalism, but everything else goes over his head. The film holds nothing back in making fun of him, and while we’re all laughing at Fred, we root for him to get everyone’s approval, especially Charlotte’s. It also helps when the script sets up Fred to be a hardworking but oblivious dork.

The way Rogen slowly but surely charms Theron is sweet, funny, and well-paced. The two share a hilarious and meaningful chemistry that builds off of the film’s ridiculous series of events. Using the consistent joke of how much Theron is out of Rogen’s league, we get our familiar yet effective underdog romance story.

Charlize Theron – The Real MVP

I can say this is one of Rogen’s best performances, but I want to make something clear right now: this movie’s MVP is Charlize Theron. If there’s only one reason to see Long Shot, it is to see Theron let everything loose and defy all expectations of what you think she’s capable of. With countless comedy set pieces designed to put her front and center, the film is a vehicle for Theron to start a new chapter in her career.

And boy can she deliver. She steals half of the movie’s laughs, while retaining the same emotional core of a woman exhausted from her job as Secretary of State. Though an Oscar nomination may sound like a stretch, this is an easy contender for the Golden Globe, under the Musical/Comedy section.

Questionable Length? Should I Even Complain?

Like most mainstream comedies today, Long Shot still feels a bit too long. Even though everything that is happening in the movie is quite funny, the second act does get a bit meandering here and there, where I was waiting for the plot to move faster. You can definitely say there were a couple places where the premise overstays its welcome. That being said, the film is never boring, so should I even complain?

Accompanying Theron and Rogen is a suite of hilarious scene-stealing performances by Bob Odenkirk, O’Shea Jackson Jr., and a makeup-heavy Andy Serkis.

Long Shot: Modern Day Politics Meets Seth Rogen’s Raunchiness

Long Shot is an absolute must-see if you are a fan of Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen. Even though I wished for its politics to have some more substance, the film fits comfortably as a nice addition to the careers of everyone involved. As Rogen continues to push the envelope for raunchiness in his comedies, director Jonathan Levine keeps his story thoughtful, sweet, and of course, pretty romantic.

I was skeptical when I first saw the trailer back in mid-February. Today, I would vote for Charlize Theron for President of the United States.

Did you see Long Shot at SXSW? What did you think of the film? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

Long Shot premiered at SXSW on March 9, 2019. It will be released in theaters in the US on May 3, 2019. For all international release dates, click here.