Movie Review: Long Shot

Long Shot

By The Closet Conservative

A funny thing happened on the way to the  Forum….. I became a prude. I turned 60 earlier this year, and without a doubt, I’ve become quite conservative in what one might refer to as the “public square”.  Language and behavior that is vulgar (yes, a very subjective word) now bothers me.  Not so much behind closed doors, or in “locker room” type situations, but in the public square of political rallies, television, commercials, music, and movies.  Long Shot aims low and hits the mark. Some of the talk, and visual images of Long Shot would clearly have earned it an “X” rating in the 70’s or 80’s.  Today, this behavior is considered main stream in Romcom’s (Romantic comedies)  I find it tasteless and cheap. (And this is coming from a viewer who in 1977 thought Saturday Night Fever was the greatest movie of all time – a movie that in its day was quite graphic in its hard core street language and behavior)   If your idea of humor are penis erections, masturbation, ejaculation, accompanied by the gutter euphemisms of each action, then  hurry on down and see Long Shot.

Then, add to that, if you’re a conservative of any sort, be ready for the usual assault of Liberal propaganda in the movie. (the protagonist cares about the Environment, because Republicans don’t… the News TV shows in the background a parody of Fox News, Corporations only care about money and are all Republicans)

The balance of the movie is odd… at times it aims to be a sophisticated political and romantic comedy (and yes, it’s not without some good laughs), and other times it’s as though we’re watching a Road Runner cartoon (Seth Grogan falls out a two story building, face plants on top of a car, and walks away… only to repeat the fall 20 minutes later down a flight of stairs…) Then, we’re in a foreign embassy where an attack takes place by local rebels. Two body guards are seriously hurt, and  moment later in a bunker the two protagonists have a good laugh during sweet romantic scene.

There is one scene toward the end of the movie that will actually knock the socks off most conservatives. And, typically, it comes out of nowhere and does not match up with the tone of the rest of the movie – YET, it’s a great moment, one of which I wanted to stand up and cheer.  Without giving the scene away entirely, it involves a good friend of Seth Grogan’s character. During a Liberal rant by Seth about how bad Republicans are, his friend comes out of the closest and tells Seth, HE HIMSELF is a Republican. Not only that, but he’s a Christian, and is tired of Seth bad mouthing republican’s and being so closed minded. Not only this but his friend comes of as composed, clear minded, and rational. It’s a scene I’ve been waiting for for years in a motion picture. Seth’s character actually listens, and is humbled.

If you’re okay with 20% good laughs, 20% jokes at the expense of Conservatives, 20% vulgar humor 20% nonsense and idiocy, and 20% of boredom, then go see it. I wish I hadn’t, but my daughter wanted to go….My choice would have been A Dog’s Journey.