A Love Song for Bobby Long (2005)

A Love Song For Mediocre Movie Endings.

PLOT: Purslane Will's (Johansson) mother has recently died. Purslane returns to her mother's home as the new owner but discovers two men, Bobby Long and Lawson Pines, living there. Within a few encounters, the three begin to bond and as Bobby divulges more and more insight into the life of Purslane's mother, they discover that there were indeed some things that all of them did not know about one another.

Reasons you should watch:

* Travolta and another humorous overacting job
* Scarlett Johansson looking stunningly gorgeous
* a fun little storyline that may or may not keep you engaged

Reasons not to watch:

* characters you likely won't care about
* a forced ending in which you wonder, "What the heck just happened and why do I feel like they want me to cry right now?"
* Travolta and another humorous overacting job
June 30, 2008

Truely a wonderful movie

I am a tried and true John Travolta fan but I had never heard of this movie. I watched it on t.v. one night and I was hooked. I bought it immediately and I watch it religiously....at least once a month. I think that it is his best performance to date. And the rest of the cast as well. The characters that they played were brought to life. You feel like a part of it..a bystander, an unseen character on he side lines. June 16, 2008

Gabriel Macht shines with his performance in this!!!!

This is one of the best movies I've seen in such a long time! What amazingly convincing performances from all three principal actors! This movie is so much better than the book!!! And I am so glad that so many changes were made for the movie!
I am soooooooooooo glad that the character of Byron was changed for the movie to Lawson (portrayed by Gabriel Macht). The movie's Lawson (aka Byron) is a much younger, much more grounded non-perv, but he still drank too much. Gabriel Macht's take on the character is so much better than the character in the book. He made the movie for me! The same for Scarlett J's character Hanna (Pursy in the movie). Scarlett made her character so much more likable.
Glad I bought this on DVD! I LOVED Lawson's reaction to seeing Pursy getting ready for her date and he kindly told her that the dress zipper needs to stay up. AND I LOVE the sweet tender scene in front of the fireplace with Lawson and Pursy! It was deep, emotional and yet tender as they drifted off to sleep. I can't wait to see Scarlett Johansson and Gabriel Macht together again in their next movie The Spirit! They have wonderful chemistry together!!!
I highly recommend buying both this movie and the soundtrack. Heck, I've been buying both of them for everyone I know when it's their birthday. I include the movie Because I Said So and American Outlaws and I write in the card, "Have A Very Happy Gabriel Macht Birthday". :-) May 11, 2008

true to life characters

I stumbled upon this movie on IFC and was enthralled. Great acting, wonderful story. This movie truly shows Travolta's talent. November 29, 2007

Travolta channels Truman Capote - and it works really well.

John Travolta plays Bobby Long, a one time college English professor from Alabama whose uninhibited ways cost him his family and former life. He is now a literature spouting drunk, living in the house of Lorraine Wills, a singer-songwriter, who died young from drink and a hard life. Living with him is Lawson Pine, Bobby's former teaching assistant, who one day intends to write the great American novel about his mentor, none other than Bobby Long. One day the book will get written, if Lawson can stay sober enough and resist the languid ways of the Big Easy.

Lorraine is dead - and her estranged daughter, Pursey, comes to the house. The men tell her that each of them owns a third of the house. Scarlett Johansson is very well suited to the role of Purslane Hominy Will, a high school drop-out, living with her boyfriend in a trailer park in Panama City FL.

At first, Bobby seems determined to drive Pursey away, an effort Lawson reluctantly assists with for a while.

As Pursey digs in her heels, the men come to respect her. They insist she finish high school. She demands they quit drinking.

The relationships become deeper as hostility begrudingly turns into respect and affectation between these three very different people, who share the universal wants and desires of all people.

Travolta plays his role well, though I feel he studied films and tapes of Truman Capote interviews. Macht plays his role as if he were simply being himself. Johansson in many ways has the most difficult role and she plays it well.

I won't give away more of the story for fear of spoiling the movie for others.

It's a sweet film, a nice little story. Not blockbuster material, not even necessarily a film that you'll vividly remember. It's just a sweet touching story typical of Southern, particularly New Orleans, stories. Lots of sad and lonely people who try hard to seize what little happiness they can scratch from life.

Jerry September 27, 2007

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