'Long Shot' (2019) Review

Synopsis: When Fred Flarsky reunites with his childhood crush Charlotte Field, who happens to be one of the most influential women in the world, he charms her with his self-deprecating humor and his memories of her youthful idealism. As she prepares to make a run for the presidency, Charlotte hires Fred as her speechwriter. A fish out of water on Charlotte's elite team, Fred is unprepared for her glamorous lifestyle in the limelight. Sparks fly as their unmistakable chemistry leads to a round-the-world romance and a series of unexpected and dangerous incidents.

Runtime: 125 minutes

MPAA Rating: R (for strong sexual content, language throughout and some drug use)

Who should see it? Adult fans of romantic comedies.

Directed by Jonathan Levine and written by Dan Sterling and Liz Hannah, Long Shot is a romantic comedy which features the unlikely pairing of Seth Rogan and Charlize Theron. Those who know me or frequently visit my blog are likely aware that I don't often watch or review rom-coms. I tend to gravitate towards the sci-fi, action, musical, or awards-oriented fare. However, I chanced seeing Long Shot based on overwhelmingly positive word of mouth, and I'm glad I did. Long Shot isn't a groundbreaking or revolutionary rom-com by any means, but it's certainly an enjoyable one!

Setting itself apart from other romantic comedies, Long Shot is imbued with sharp political commentary. Refreshingly, the political angle of the story doesn't become too ham-fisted or relentlessly attack one side of the aisle. Screenwriters Dan Sterling and Liz Hannah acknowledge the pervasive problems in contemporary political discourse, scandals, and elections with a balanced perspective and poke fun at the division along the way. If you're legitimately offended by the humor in Long Shot, then you're probably just taking it too seriously. Your political stance shouldn't detract from your enjoyment because Long Shot's about so much more than political squabbling. That's merely the set dressing. 

At its core, Long Shot exemplifies the age-old mantra to "be yourself" and not compromise your integrity for the sake of achievement. Levine, Sterling, and Hannah just so happen to present this theme in a political context. In her ambitions to become president, does Charlotte Field lose herself? It's relevant and applicable to any candidate running for office, regardless of their party. Will they stay true to their word and what lengths are they willing to go to maintain a quality public image? The outcome's predictable since Long Shot abides by the rom-com bylaws to a tee, but the film retains an honest appraisal of the contemporary political landscape along the way. And, of course, it helps that Long Shot is a hysterical affair as well! Not every joke lands, but I laughed at the vast majority of one-liners.

Given Rogan's involvement, I feel it's worth noting that certain gags involve sex/drugs because I'm aware this may repel some viewers, but these rarely degraded the picture and proved to be relatively insignificant. Long Shot also doesn't devolve into a quip-fest, retaining focus on the story at hand rather than constantly exchanging one-liners.

Anchoring the feature, Charlize Theron and Seth Rogan share a delightful rapport. Theron portrays Charlotte Field as a self-serious politician while Rogan's Fred Flarsky is an endearing schmuck. Though the match-up's impractical, the actors play well off one another. Sprinkled in the supporting cast, Bob Odenkirk, Ravi Patel, June Diana Raphael, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Alexander Skarsgård, and an unrecognizable Andy Serkis each shine in their varying roles.

Long Shot may seem like a long shot based on its premise and those involved, but the endearing romance, a pair of likable leads, sharp political commentary, and a cascade of hilarious bits ensure it's a worthwhile venture. 

Film Assessment: B

'The Post' Review

While The Post won't expand nationwide till January 12th, I was fortunate enough to see an early screening during my fall internship, so I'm granting readers early insight into the film as a reward for your patience with my delayed reviews.

'The Post' Review

Nominated For: Best Picture and Best Actress; Meryl Streep.

The Post reports the true story of the widespread Pentagon Papers leak by American press. When portions of Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara's commissioned 1967 report on the Vietnam War are leaked and published in an expose by The New York Times, President Nixon and the US Government impose a court injunction to prevent the Times from publishing any further. The first female newspaper publisher, Katharine Graham, is then faced with an impossible alternative; join the fight to protect the first amendment by publishing the report in her own paper, The Washington Post, or stand by and allow the government censorship to continue.

The Post is directed by Steven Spielberg, who I consider to be one of the most talented and influential filmmakers that ever lived, and marks Spielberg's first collaboration with the pair of esteemed actors, Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep. Hanks and Spielberg have frequently collaborated on a number of projects (including Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me If You Can, and Bridge Of Spies to name a few), but this is the first time either have worked with Streep. Due to the pedigree of those involved and the simple fact that Spielberg-directed films don't come around too often, The Post naturally rose towards the top of my most anticipated awards contenders. 

I recall that the project came together quite quickly after President Trump's inauguration as Spielberg, Hanks, and Streep all seemingly signed on immediately afterwards because of the film's remarkable relevance to Trump's distrust of mainstream media. While I won't engage in a discussion over those semantics in this review, I can say the parallels between Nixon and Trump's administrations are abundant and clear so I can't wait to read the tweets it will incur from our nation's leader. Due to the startling similarities and caliber of the project, I'm fairly certain that The Post will emerge a very viable awards frontrunner for Best Picture at the very least. 

Now that the elephant in the room has been addressed, I can confirm this film is as masterfully made as any other movie on Spielberg's résumé. Everything from the editing and cinematography to the production and costume design feel finely tuned by an experienced artist, so you're absolutely certain that you're watching a film from Spielberg. Longtime collaborator and celebrated composer John Williams also scores The Post, and while I wouldn't place it among Williams' more iconic work, the score never slouches to sounding mundane or average. 

The attributed screenwriters behind The Post are Liz Hannah and Josh Singer. Oddly enough, Singer cowrote another newspaper-driven awards contender two years ago, Spotlight. Despite the fact that Spotlight and The Post are both largely set in a newsroom and touch on publishing controversial content, Hannah and Singer approach the vastly different subject matter from a different angle. Where Spotlight largely focused on investigative journalism, The Post has more to do with the intricacies of publication, freedom of the press, and gender bias in the workplace.

The Post tackles this subject matter appropriately and intelligently by offering an objective look into both sides of the controversial choice presented to Katharine Graham. In spite of the film's clear slant against censorship of the press, Spielberg doesn't forget to stress the detriments of publishing classified documents. Those surrounding Graham naturally have differing stances on the issue, and Spielberg ensures everyone's opinion is rightfully presented in a fair, balanced manner, so when all is said-and-done, The Post runs a story that incorporates every outlook on the topic.

One touch that I really appreciated was how The Post constantly deviated from convention. When the paper's inevitably brought to court, Spielberg doesn't mull over every intricate detail of the court proceedings or overdramatize the entire court case. Instead, he focuses on the outcome and reasoning behind it, because that's what really matters. 

As for performances, Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks are without a doubt two of the greatest actors working today, so of course their acting is astounding. However, I'd daresay that Streep offers a genuine, humane performance as Katharine Graham that will remind you why she has 20 Oscar nominations to her name. Streep's work here may just be her best performance given in years and is unlike anything I've seen from her to date. Matching her beat-for-beat, Hanks imbues Ben Bradlee with his trademark charm and an underlying eagerness while exhibiting his own exceptional acting abilities. All the while, the supporting ensemble consisting of Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk, Tracy Letts, Bradley Whitford, Bruce Greenwood, Matthew Rhys provide a rock solid foundation for Spielberg to work with.

All things considered, I wouldn't publicize The Post with the headline of being the best film of the year or even declare it to stand near the peak of Spielberg's remarkable and robust résumé. Nevertheless, The Post is a feature deserving of wide circulation for the mature and measured context it brings to an important, timely subject matter.

Film Assessment: A-