Long Shot
Reporter Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogen), a writer with a cause and a conscience, quits his job when the newspaper he writes for sells out to Parker Wembley (Andy Serkis). Oddly enough, out on the town and trying to up his spirits Fred runs into his old babysitter, the strong and savvy Secretary of State, Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron). As luck would have it, Charlotte is eyeballing a run for the presidency in 2020 and in need of a speech writer, knowing Fred’s off beat writing style, maybe he’s the right guy for the job? Add a dash of ugly duckling romance and you’ve got a Long Shot! 
Directed by Jonathan Levine, and Written by Dan Sterling and Liz Hannah this simple romantic comedy does little to challenge the norms of established pattens, but, laughs from many angles come quick, and, maintaining a street smart duck, duck, jab, and punch offense keeps the funny bone on high alert…That’s a good thing. Ultimately, it’s Rogen and Theron’s chemistry that sells the show, and through some innocent mystic beard power, the likability factor here is high. It’s pleasant enough, it’s endearing enough, I just wish is was about twenty minutes shorter, with a runtime of 2 hours and 5 minutes, plenty could have met the editors blade and we’d be no worse for the wear. You win some and you don’t, perhaps a matinee for your dollar, Long Shot is rated R.