267. Long Shot; movie review

LONG SHOT
Cert 15
122 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language, sex references, sex, drug misuse

I would like to see Seth Rogen playing Shakespeare... or starring in a thriller...or doing anything other than the doped up loser guy.
For nearly 20 years he has been doing the same turn and it bores me rigid.
So, no I didn't enjoy Long Shot - even though it was a complete departure for one of my favourite actresses, Charlize Theron.
Sadly, as hard as she tries, Theron cannot save Jonathan Levine's movie.
This is partly down to the implausible hook-up between her character and Rogen's but also because, in common with many of his movies, it just isn't funny.
The premise is that Theron is the hard-working and ambitious Secretary of State who is so rapt in her job that she has little time for fun.
Meanwhile, Rogen is an out-of-work journalist who used to live next door when the pair were growing up.
They meet at a fund-raiser and the beautiful politician is drawn to the tubby, unkept baseball-cap wearing hack in a shell suit as any girl would be.
Thus, she hires him as the speechwriter to make her appear more 'human' to the voters.
This is not a match which is universally approved and he is regarded with particular scorn by the Secretary's chief staffer (June Diane Raphael).
But despite him consistently embarrassing himself in most delicate situations, his new boss is determined to stick with him.
Meanwhile, she is facing the political rollercoaster of working under a flaky president (Bob Odenkirk) and having to cosy up to an unbearable media mogul (Andy Serkis).
If this sounds moderately interesting - I am afraid it is all just a cover for another Rogen film which centres on taking drugs and getting blind drunk.
And as long as the critics continue to praise him and audiences keep turning up we can only expect more.
I can scarcely wait.

Reasons to watch: A decent contribution from the reliable Charlize Theron
Reasons to avoid: Seth Rogen playing Seth Rogen...again

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: Yes
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 4/10

Did you know? There is a (sort of) precedent for Long Shot - in 1998, James Rubin, who at the time was spokesman for the US State Department married Christiane Amanpour, Chief International Correspondent for CNN. 

The final word. Charlize Theron: "Seth is a very confident writer, actor, and director. He steps into the space with so much confidence that it’s intimidating. But he is also so available, and I realized that I could fully trust him and that he had my back.” Marie Claire

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