Audiences generally know what to expect when they see Seth Rogen’s name attached to a comedy; he’ll probably be playing a slacker refusing to grow up and take on any responsibilities, there will be plenty of his signature hearty laughter, and at least one reference to his herbal remedy of choice.
While all of the above is technically true of Long Shot, the romantic dramedy has to be viewed as one of the most underrated movies of the actor, director, writer and producer’s career. Rogen’s Fred Flarksy is a journalist who runs into his former childhood babysitter, who also happens to be a fast-rising and hugely influential politician.
Immediately hitting it off with Charlize Theron’s Charlotte Field, the pair grow closer until she decides to run for the presidency, which has a massive effect on their relationship. Long Shot is a lot smarter and sharper than the vast majority of studio comedies, and the chemistry between the two leads is as effortless as it is surprising.
Despite strong reviews from critics, Long Shot only managed to earn $53 million at the box office on a $40 million budget in early 2019, and quietly faded from memory in no time at all. However, having been slept on by far too many people, it’s now putting in a strong showing on Netflix as per FlixPatrol, having been steadily rising up the most-watched list all week.
