Regardless of which side of the political aisle you are on, this is a great Rom-Com. If you are generally on the left side of the aisle you can assign as many parallels to our 2019 world as you want. If you happen to be on the right side, you can still enjoy this movie. If you think politics is stupid and candidates A/B test everything to their detriment, then this movie is also for you. Longshot has a broad appeal to almost everyone. Neo-nazis may not appreciate the first scene, but then again they are horrible excuses for human beings.
I was surprised to learn after watching that Seth Rogen was not involved in writing or production. His acting falls inline with Neighbors, 50/50, and Zack and Miri Make a Porno. He is know for his comedy, but he has depth. Seth portrays Fred Flarsky, a liberal, facts only, single-sided view, journalist. He is unwilling to compromise on his beliefs much to his own detriment. He serves as a warning to the progressive left that the world is not black and white. O'Shea Jackson Jr., Ice Cube's son, plays Fred's friend Lance. O'Shea brings a fresh perspective to Fred that serves as a great balance. Ravi Patel and Bob Odenkirk both are fine in their supporting roles. Andy Serkis plays the villain well.
With the men out of the way, on to the women of this movie. June Diane Raphael as chief of staff Maggie Millikin, is a voice you will probably recognize. She serves as a good antagonist to Fred. She has Secretary Field's election ambitions at heart and is justified in all of her actions. I appreciated the toss-away scene of intra-campaign hook-ups; it is ripped from reality. Winning campaigns have high rates of hook-ups. Millikin's comedic actions are buttoned down but elicited plenty of laughs.
Charlize Theron is Secretary of State Charlotte Field and the star of this movie. She has to navigate all of the bullshit any female in power has to face. The movie highlights female objectification in a truthful way. I didn't find any hyperbole in the criticism and commentary that Secretary Field faced. The movie did a good job of highlighting how woman have to work twice as hard as men in politics without alienating any of the audience. The Secretary faces all of the issues a modern female politician has to face. I enjoyed spending time in this universe outside of the romance. While the movie wouldn't be what it was without the love story, it explores plenty of issues Secretary Field faces without making her a damsel in distress. Fred helps her make her own decision by forcing her to look inward. In the end she has power over her own destiny.
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The end of the movie is a bit too clean and tidy. I was laughing out-loud throughout the movie. Charlize Theron is continuing to build a fantastic body of work. She also went through a significant physical transformation coming from Tully. The R rating is justified, so screen this before letting a younger audience see it.
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