Movie Review: “Long Shot” leads Theron and Rogen prove to have genuine chemistry

Movie Review: “Long Shot” (R)

When you think of legendary onscreen couples and lovey-dovey star chemistry, Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen probably wouldn’t be the first pair to pop into your brain. That said, the teaming of Theron and Rogen is the very basis of the new rom-com “Long Shot.” And in fact, the very idea of this seemingly odd union is even playfully mocked in the ad campaign. I guess the joke is on us, though, because the big surprise here is that Theron and Rogen do in fact prove to have genuine chemistry in this picture.

In “Long Shot,” Theron is Charlotte Field, a U.S. diplomat with aspirations of becoming president, and Rogen is Fred Flasrsky, a free-spirited journalist with a knack for getting himself into hot water. One night, during a political function, these two opposites cross paths — but as it turns out, it isn’t their first meeting. Years earlier, a teenage Field would have an awkward encounter with a then-young Flarsky while babysitting him.

To say that this is a moment Flarsky has spent a great deal of his life trying to forget would be a gross understatement.

Eventually, a series of funny and witty articles written by Flarsky lead Field to hire the journalist on her staff. This doesn’t sit well with certain members of her team. But it’s clear that Flarsky’s laid back demeanor and goofy sense of humor have a soothing effect on an often stressed Field, so his hiring proves to be the right call. As Field and Flarsky genuinely get to know one another, the seemingly impossible happens: They engage in a whirlwind romance. This presents an onslaught of challenges, and it is those challenges that are at the heart of “Long Shot.”

As directed by Jonathan Levine (“50/50”), a great deal of “Long Shot” plays like a warm and infectiously likable ’90s political comedy akin to “Dave” or “An American President.” Unfortunately, though, the R-rated raunch factor often taints the sweetness at this movie’s center. Now, before anyone paints me a prude, let it be known that I love me a great R-rated comedy. In the case of “Long Shot,” however, it often feels like the raunch factor was injected as a safety net. You know, in case the star-chemistry thing didn’t work.

The thing is, the chemistry does work. One of the big questions going into “Long Shot” is “Will the audience buy into the relationship?” Will they buy the idea that beautiful, mature, and exquisite Field will succumb to the boyish charms of an intelligent but reckless stoner with a potty mouth? And the answer is yes. Theron and Rogen make you believe. They’re great together, bouncing off of one another with effortless ease. As individuals, they’re both witty and funny in their own distinct ways, and as a team, they’re surprisingly adorable.

And Rogen and Theron aren’t alone in this picture. They’re complemented by a wonderful supporting cast including Randall Park, Bob Odenkirk, Ravi Patel, June Diane Rapheal, Lisa Kudrow, a hilarious and unrecognizable Andy Serkis, and O’Shea Jackson Jr. as Flarsky’s wise best friend.

Again, there are moments throughout “Long Shot” when the irreverent and naughty aspects of this picture are sort of at odds with its overall charm. Be it the tawdry sex scenes, an extended scene in which a frisky Flarsky masturbates while watching Field during an online press conference (the payoff here is nowhere near as funny as it was in “There’s Something About Mary”), or an off-putting sequence in which our lead couple get loaded during a night on the town, some of this stuff actually cheapens the proceedings. This isn’t to say that there aren’t big laughs in this picture. There certainly are. It’s just that the comical tonal shifts aren’t entirely well balanced.

Oddly enough, it should be noted that “Long Shot” was not written by Rogen, even though some of the more raunchy humor would suggest otherwise. The screenplay was penned by  Dan Sterling (“The Office,” “The Sarah Silverman Project”) and Liz Hannah (“The Post”). Still, one gets the sense that Rogen probably came up with comical bits on shooting days. Beyond the sweet romance at the center of the movie and all the dirty flourishes that float in and out of that romance, Sterling, Hannah, and Levine do bring some sophistication to the table, including a wonderful final-act conversation about respecting one another, even when we have different points of view — a bold, honest, and much needed proclamation, particularly given some of the political directions this movie could have gone.

At the end of the day, though, the most winning aspect of the very rough-around-the-edges “Long Shot” is the fashion in which Theron and Rogen work together. By the end of the movie, I wanted to see these two get together in the same way I wanted to see Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal get together at the end of “When Harry Met Sally.” That’s a true testament to Theron and Rogen’s onscreen chemistry.

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