‘Long Shot’ navigates the dangerous waters of today’s politics to find love

Posted on May 10, 2019

By MARK VIOLA

With politics seemingly more divided than ever, and people on both sides of the aisle increasingly hostile to anyone who disagrees with them, it seems a risky choice to set a romantic comedy within the mudslinging realms of American politics.

But that’s exactly what we get in “Long Shot,” a raunchy, bold romantic comedy starring Charlize Theron (“Mad Max: Fury Road”) and Seth Rogen (“This Is The End”). I’m not usually a fan of romantic comedies, but I like to give films a try when they attempt to put a new spin on the genre, whether it’s going the indie film route (“500 Days of Summer”), tossing in zombies (“Warm Bodies”) or jumping across the pond to France (“Amelie”).

“Long Shot” benefits from a funny script and some genuine on-screen chemistry between Theron and Rogen, not something I would have automatically expected. I also thought the film did a decent job navigating the political waters it decides to cross, although it does suffer a bit from the usual Hollywood one-sided portrayal of America (but it does so knowingly at times).

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