A Love Song for Bobby Long

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A Love Song for Bobby Long

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A Love Song for Bobby Long

John Travolta, Scarlett Johansson, Gabriel Macht, Deborah Kara Unger

A misfit drama in the grand Southern (by way of Hollywood) tradition, A Love Song for Bobby Long takes its cue from Carson McCullers's The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. Re-establishing his indie-cred, Joh...( read more  read more... )n Travolta adds Bobby Long to his gallery of colorful characters. Hobbled by an infected toe, the 50-something Bobby is a white-haired, unshaven, vodka-soaked mess. But he’s also a former English professor, and the piles of books in his ramshackle house, and the authors he drunkenly quotes give him a wounded dignity. Just how wounded will be revealed over the course of this atmospheric tale of redemption and penance. Bobby lives with Lawson Pines (Gabriel Macht), his former teaching assistant who is writing a book about his mentor, a project deferred by drinking, sitting around with the locals, or engaging in quotation oneupsmanship. Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation, Ghost World) holds her own against Travolta ("You are such a shameless ham," she chastises the loquacious Bobby) as Pursy, the estranged daughter of Lorraine, a recently deceased singer-songwriter in whose house Bobby and Lawson reside. A battle of wills between the two men and the headstrong young girl gives way to the formation of a tentative family unit. Pursy agrees to return to high school if Bobby and Lawson quit drinking. There will be the expected revelations, recriminations, and dramatic confrontations, but what makes this Love Songresonate are the performances by a cast that rarely hits a false note. --Donald Liebenson

Id: 10851637

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A Love Song for Bobby Long Recent Reviews
  • gatorgirl13
    June 23, 2009
    gatorgirl13
    Brilliant. John Travolta is so utterly lovable in this. The whole plot of the movie is fantastic and all of the actors perform amazingly. One of my favorites, for sure.
  • irisheyes686
    May 14, 2009
    irisheyes686
    I really liked this movie. The acting was good, and the cast worked really well together. I liked how the story was told.
  • kiriyamakazou
    April 20, 2009
    kiriyamakazou
    Starts fairly promisingly. It looks good and John Travolta is giving one of his best performances in years. Johansson shows up and doesn't let her looks become a distraction. It soon becomes just more sentimental crap trying it's hardest to tug at the heart strings. It tugs so ha...( read more)rd that they simply snap and are rendered useless. Every character starts blurting out their inner feelings and emotions via long winded speeches. The ending is also a quick exit for the writer. It would have been great for a less dialogue heavy version where you can contemplate on the characters yourself. Instead we just get more forced drama shenannigans and of course Travolta just HAS to dance.
  • ironclad1609
    October 22, 2008
    ironclad1609
    The story of a young woman moving into a run down house she inherited together with two drinking losers has potential for all kinds of movies. This is a humorous but calm family drama with three really convincing main roles. Travolta and Johansson are great as always, newcomer Ga...( read more)briel Macht isn't any worse. The story of the two misfits taking care of the girl's school career is sometimes slow, maybe even too slow in the middle of the film, but easily carried by the humor and the acting performances. The film is also very beautifully shot, especially the New Orleans summer heat is almost palpable in most scenes. And the end, when the real reason for their connection is revealed, is actually really sweet and touching. Puts a smile on your face.
  • allan913
    June 25, 2008
    allan913
    One of John Travolta's best performances ever. He's smart, funny, brilliant, incrediable and unforgettable. An oscar calibur performance. He has never delivered a better performance than he has here. Scarlett Johansson is sensational. Gabriel Macht is teriffic. The entire cast wo...( read more)rks with such energy and dedication. An outstanding movie. Riveting, enjoyable, pogient and wonderfully entertaining. This is such an marvelous film. A beautiful piece of film that never misses a note. A masterpiece plain and simple. Simply magnificent and unforgettable. It's moving, intelligent and well-crafted.
  • showbiz101
    December 18, 2009
    showbiz101
    Bit too slow for me.
  • theloneowl
    November 15, 2009
    theloneowl
    L'ho amato tantissimo, l'ho visto che ero nel mio periodo ossessione per New Orleans e ne hanno fatto un bellissimo ritratto, triste, come deve essere davvero, ma proprio bello.
    E ha una colonna sonora fantastica.
  • EbertsLittleApprentice
    September 28, 2009
    EbertsLittleApprentice
    "On Magazine Street" is beautiful portaryed, and Johansson and Travolta make this Dramatic-Heartfelt story a good one.

    An Instant Classic. "Johansson is utterly amazing in this film. Travolta is classy, and stingy as a well educated , yet unhappy scholar from years ago.

    T...( read more)his film was full emotions, and heartfelt feeling. It is full smart dialouge.

    This film is full Pervasive Sexually Explict Dialouge and refferences. This film is a great story, told with an old southern backdrop and feeling.

    Four out of Four" Stars. Strong Reccomendation.
  • andyangel73
    September 11, 2009
    andyangel73
    Add a review (optional)...
  • aegq3000
    August 16, 2009
    aegq3000
    UNA CANCION DEL PASADO
    (UNA CANCIO DE AMOR PARA BOBBY LONG)
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