Long Shot has generated lots of buzz since its SXSW debut last week. Critics are praising the film for its (surprisingly) touching story, endearing performances, and hilarious jokes – which aren’t afraid to get nasty. The film doesn’t officially drop until May, but the folks at Lionsgate wanted to share a spicy little taste with today’s red band trailer. Check it out:
People are already calling Long Shot one of the year’s best crowd-pleasers. And if you glance at the film’s credentials, you see why. Director Jonathan Levine’s movies Snatched and The Night Before show’s he can do raunchy and over-the-top, but the earlier movies in his canon reveal his sensitive side. The Wackness and 50/50, though funny, are poignant looks at love and relationships, and set a precedent for what he accomplishes in Long Shot.
But it’s the film’s two leads, Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen, that give Long Shot its blockbuster potential. Theron is an apex-level star with the talent to match. She can kick ass in the post-apocalypse in one film and then take home an Oscar for the next. And Rogen has made a career out of playing goofballs in raunchy comedies that are also super sweet. Throw in Long Shot’s deep bench of role-players; Randall Park, Bob Odenkirk, June Diane Raphael, and O’Shea Jackson Jr., and you have all the right elements for a summer hit.
Between Long Shot and Booksmart, May is shaping up as an excellent month for comedies.
Long Shot synopsis:
Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogen) is a gifted and free-spirited journalist with an affinity for trouble. Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron) is one of the most influential women in the world. Smart, sophisticated, and accomplished, she’s a powerhouse diplomat with a talent for…well, mostly everything. The two have nothing in common, except that she was his babysitter and childhood crush. When Fred unexpectedly reconnects with Charlotte, he charms her with his self-deprecating humour and his memories of her youthful idealism. As she prepares to make a run for the Presidency, Charlotte hires Fred as her speechwriter, much to the dismay of her trusted advisors. A fish out of water on Charlotte’s elite team, Fred is unprepared for her glamorous lifestyle in the limelight. However, sparks fly as their unmistakable chemistry leads to a round-the-world romance and a series of unexpected and dangerous incidents.
