A Love Song for Bobby Long (2004)

A meandering movie, saved by a strong second half, and a couple of powerhouse stars.When a young woman, Purslane 'Pursy" Will, (Scarlett Johansson), learns that her estranged mother has died, she travels to the house she owned in New Orleans. She meets ex-university professor, Bobby Long (John Travolta), and his friend Lawson Pines (Gabriel Macht), who also shared the house. Although both have scholastic achievements behind them, they are now near alcoholics.Believing her mother left the house to her, Pursy decides to stay although Bobby claims it was also left to him. Initially antagonistic, the trio settle into an uneasy alliance when Pursy attempts to renew her education. After a number of revelations, Pursy eventually gains a better understanding about her relationship with her mother and also with Bobby.Throwing a group of disparate people together into a household has been a staple of sitcoms for decades. However, "A Love Song for Bobby Long" is anything but a sitcom or a comedy. In reality, the addition of an eighteen-year-old girl into a household of much older, drunken males is something that would normally have a social worker rushing to fill out forms. However, the story doesn't really go in that direction.Shainee Gabel not only wrote the screenplay, but also co-produced and directed the film. Sometimes doing everything yourself works fine, and you are hailed as an auteur, but the flip side is when the work shows there was no one to turn to for some objective criticism.Actors seem drawn to Southern dramas. Maybe it's the challenge of the accents or the memories of Big Daddy, Stanley, Blanche and Stella. Whatever it is, the results are often over-the-top. As Bobby, John Travolta does his best with some odd passages, especially when he relates the story of his boyhood friend who had a special piece of pussy. It's hardly Mark Twain, and the film struggles to overcome this, plus some cloying monologues.Scarlett Johansson is an arresting presence. She projects that uber calm sultriness, drawing all eyes to her, especially males. She steps up a gear in a warm dance sequence with John Travolta. However the way she and everyone else in the cast smoke, you would think the film was made in 1944 not 2004.The second half of the film has some emotional twists that give closure, even if they do seem a little abrupt. The film looks good, capturing New Orleans the year before Katrina. The end result is a film that is likable, although I can't help feeling that the main reason for this is the charisma of Scarlett Johansson and John Travolta.

a delicate picture from South. the atmosphere, the story, the acting - all is splendid. and must see it not for actors or for the reviews but for taste of a special experience who remind memories, choices, errors of each of us. game of nuances, convincing, show of vulnerabilities and masks, transformations and decisions, a little Tennesee Williams and Steinbeck, it is a gentle lesson about real essence of freedom.Scarlett Johansson shines in her role and the light is a kind of rainbow. John Travolta remembers his great and powerful potential. a film who presents slices of a state of soul. and its virtue is not the art to do a realistic/touching picture but to seem be an experience for viewer. that is all. so, it is a not bad idea to see it. as a story who can speak about yourself.

A better title? The last hit by Bobby Long. Was this production underwritten by R.J. Reynolds? I've never seen so many cigarettes smoked in a single film. Or maybe it was just product placement gone wild? You can expect Travolta to be smoking as he does in almost everything he does, but every main cast person? By the way, it really doesn't take ten lines to express the visual problem with this film, but that's what the "guidelines" require. Who creates these "guideline"? Not every film reviewed is "Gone With The Wind", how about updating the guidelines so that shorter and to the point comments can be included? I can understand having an upper limit so that it doesn't get out of control, but a minimum of 10 lines?www.boskolives.wordpress.com

This was made for Travolta and Johansson. Even the shots inside the house were beautiful. The critics didn't like this movie. I guess they don't know about real life anymore. Bobby made a statement as to that " I know God and God knows me " this has interested me to no end. I put it in Google as he said it and surprisingly enough, it comes from the Good Sheppard parable John 10-15. Does this mean bobby fancies himself as the God Shepard or what? He is quite sanctimonious you know. Mr Macht is great also. The bar scenes are too. Bobby's story about his 10 year old experiences were true enough to be scary. It was real enough to be known by me and my ilk.