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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Monday 13 May 2019
In ‘Long Shot,’ a comedy with a big heart and smarts

By LINDSEY BAHR top gross-out humor and used to babysit Fred, who
Associated Press jarringly violent physical was three years her junior
Charlize Theron and Seth gags that in real life would and harbored a big crush
Rogen make a sparkling have left Rogen’s charac- on his more glamorous el-
comedic duo in the uncon- ter Fred Flarsky hospitalized der. Charlotte, who recent-
ventional romantic com- or dead, is, even in spite ly decided to consider a
edy “Long Shot,” about of those overdone R-rat- presidential bid of her own,
a sleek politician and a ed tropes, full of surprising is charmed by this blast
schlubby journalist that is heart, wit and insight about from the past, a nostalgic
more than its superficial relationships, compromise respite from the glossy and
premise. and (gasp) even politics. surface existence she cur-
The film from director Jona- Rogen’s Fred is a suffer-no- rently projects and a re-
than Levine, which does fools politics reporter for a This image released by Lionsgate shows Seth Rogen, left, and minder of her dormant ide-
its fair share of over-the- Brooklyn newspaper who Charlize Theron in a scene from “Long Shot.” alism.
Associated Press So she hires him to punch-
is introduced trying to in- enter the orbit of Secre- up her speeches with jokes
filtrate a white nationalist tary of State Charlotte Field that she hopes might im-
group for a story. Spoiler, it’s (Charlize Theron), a super- prove her likability in the
not as successful as “BlacK- star who gets as much at- polls, upending his life as
kKlansman,” but it is funny. tention for her good looks they travel around the
He’s idealistic but angry, as anything else, working world trying to get interna-
with a permanent chip on under a popular but dolt- tional leaders to sign on for
his shoulder, against Re- ish President (Bob Oden- her environmental initia-
publicans, people who kirk) who was best known tive. They get close along
make concessions, the for playing the President in the way, challenging and
wealthy and so on. When a television drama for six helping one another get
he finds out that his paper seasons. Fred’s more suc- out of their respective
is being purchased by the cessful friend Lance (an ideological ruts. He wants
massive media conglom- excellent O’Shea Jackson her to only do good. She
erate Wembley Media (a Jr. in yet another standout wants him to understand
thinly veiled Fox stand-in supporting comedic per- that compromise and con-
with a Murdoch-like leader formance) convinces him cessions are necessary in
played by Andy Serkis), he to attend a fancy party politics. Although this is an
quits on principle, reject- with the promise of seeing undeniably modern story, it
ing even his boss’ offer to Boyz II Men, and it’s there is also a kind of homage to
fire him so that, at the very that he catches eyes with classic Hollywood romanc-
least, he can collect unem- Charlotte. es, pitting two career-
ployment. The two knew each other driven leads against each
This puts him on a track to from childhood. Charlotte other.q
Lucha Libre wrestler Silver King dies at

London performance

ing pursued. The 51-year-
old Gonzalez appeared
as a champion wrestler
and comic villain in the
2006 movie “Nacho Libre”,
which starred Jack Black
as a monk who wants to
be a masked luchador. Lu-
cha libre is a popular form
of wrestling in Mexico that
features colorful masks,
elaborate costumes and
acrobatic techniques.
Lucha Libre World, which
In this image made from video taken on Saturday, May 11, 2019, promoted the Roundhouse
The Silver King, right, talks to the camera with fan Mark van der event, said in a statement
Enden at the Roundhouse in London. the star “suffered what we
Associated Press believe was a cardiac ar-
Associated Press zalez Barron, the lucha libre rest while performing in the
LONDON (AP) — A well- star known as Silver King, show and sadly passed
known Mexican wrestler performed Saturday night away.” Attendee Roberto
who co-starred in the com- at The Roundhouse. The Carrera Maldonado told
edy “Nacho Libre” has north London venue said the BBC the wrestler’s con-
died of a suspected heart Sunday on Twitter that he dition initially appeared
attack after collapsing on died during the event and “staged” as part of the
stage in London. more information about fight, before efforts were
Cesar Cuauhtemoc Gon- the circumstances are be- made to revive him.q