MICHAEL MEDVED

‘Long Shot’ is appalling, but the camera’s in focus most of the time

May 3, 2019, 12:20 PM | Updated: 12:20 pm

1.5 stars (out of four)

Long Shot is about a dynamic charismatic woman running for President of the United States. She’s Secretary of State, but she looks nothing at all like Hillary Clinton because it’s played by Charlize Theron unless you think that Charlize Theron looks like Hillary Clinton.

RELATED: ‘Little’ has a good concept, but the film’s a dud

Charlize Theron is a wonderful actress and you can actually believe her as a very successful politician, and she even shows in a very subtle and sort of winning way the way you have the politician face, and then you have the boss face and the diplomat face, and then you drop it and you’re a little bit more vulnerable and likable and all of that is very interesting.

The movie stinks. It’s awful. Don’t see it. This is one of those things that she will look back on and say, “Why did I do that film? Why did I humiliate myself that way?”

It was written by Liz Hannah, whose one previous screenplay was The Post–that film was excellent and very well-written. This film has been worked on by a lot of other hands in the screenplay, who have made it gross.

Basically here’s the premise. The main focus is the Seth Rogen character — who I don’t know why he thinks these people he is playing are lovable — he may be lovable. He’s a talented guy. He can write, he can act (kind of), but he plays people who can do nothing. He plays complete losers who end up with incredibly beautiful women. And it makes no sense.

This may be a reassuring message to some. But remember the kids on The Big Bang Theory, they’re really brilliant. They have a lot going for them. His characters have nothing going for them.

He’s playing a character named Fred Flarsky. She hires this Fred Flarsky, who it turns out had her as a babysitter and had a crush on her years ago. The film is about how these two very unlikely people–this loser guy who doesn’t own a suit and is always wearing dirty, stinky clothes, and doing various bodily functions. And for some reason, I think it’s in all of his contracts: Seth Rogen has to have you have a view of his belly and chest, of course, which makes every guy in the audience feel better about themselves.

RELATED: ‘Gloria Bell’ inhabits a world most films don’t go to

But you think, graphic sex with Charlize Theron, how bad can it be, right? Don’t see the movie to find out. It’s really, really not worth it. And there’s one other area that must be talked about.

The climax of the film involves him persuading her to take ecstasy with him. Now it’s one of the most devastating drugs we have. It is a bad idea to glamorize it the way they do.

I hated Long Shot. It gets 1.5 stars because Charlize Theron is a talented actress, and the camera’s in focus most of the time. But the film is appalling.

RELATED: ‘Serenity’ is a disaster, but there are some nice tropical locations

My wife heard it was a romantic comedy, and so this is one of the rare films that Diane came along with me, and early on she said, “Can we go? Can we leave now?”

The one thing the film is funny about is the incumbent president wanting to leave the presidency so he can make it in movies. They also have a very amusing parody of Fox and Friends, but it’s not worth the rest of the pain.

Michael Medved on AM 770 KTTH
  • listen to michael medvedTune in to AM 770 KTTH weekdays at 12pm for The Michael Medved Show.

Michael Medved

Gaza attacks...

Michael Medved

Medved: The sad, ‘crazy’ tale of a Gaza water park, and Hamas’ war against fun

After barely three months of operation in 2010, the dream of a fanciful facility to attract tourists and delight locals lay in ruins.

6 months ago

2024 presidential debate...

Michael Medved

Medved: Will 2024 be the year of crucial political debates on TV?

It’s not difficult to imagine either Biden or Trump uttering some inaccurate or incoherent combinations of words that could undercut any momentum.

6 months ago

medved populism...

Michael Medved

Medved: GOP heading to irrelevance as party fails to embrace demographic changes

The spreading speculation about a new civil war isn't based on regionalism this time, but on distinctions in education and identity.

7 months ago

biden...

Michael Medved

Medved: How Biden learned money misdeeds can hurt most of all

The doomed example of "Tricky Dick" demonstrates the way that financial wrongdoing and personal enrichment can upset the public more than sex scandals.

7 months ago

Trump...

Michael Medved

Picking the right running mate could powerfully boost Trump’s prospects

It’s impossible to forecast who Donald Trump will pick as his running mate for the upcoming election of 2024, but it’s safe to say who he won’t select.

8 months ago

trump campaign...

Michael Medved

Medved: Can a new Trump victimhood campaign win back the White House?

Facing more than a half-dozen hostile legal proceedings before next year’s presidential election, can Donald Trump mount an effective campaign?

8 months ago

‘Long Shot’ is appalling, but the camera’s in focus most of the time