Member-only story
The production logos of Jonathan Levine’s Long Shot play over the sound of neo-Nazis chanting. For a moment, I thought I had walked into the wrong theater. Then, the logos end, and Seth Rogen’s sweaty, nervous face fills the screen. His character, journalist Fred Flarsky, has infiltrated a neo-Nazi group, and is attending a meeting. It’s a fitting introduction to both his character and the film, boasting a bit of physical comedy, plenty of F-bombs, and a decisive political statement.
The Long Shot tells the story of Fred Flarsky and Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron). Fred, a hot-headed political journalist, quits his job after his publication is bought out by a big media conglomerate. Soon after, he runs into Charlotte, the Secretary of State, who is planning to announce a run for the presidency. They’ve known each other since childhood, having been next door neighbors. After reviewing some of Fred’s writing, Charlotte decides that Fred should be her punch-up writer for her speeches.
The rest of the story, you probably know. It follows the typical plot of a romantic comedy like a map, but the chemistry between Rogen and Theron is undeniably off the charts…
