‘Long Shot’ (M) *** and a half

FOR its pure escapism, its cynicism about the US political system and its delectable star, this film was a refreshing coda to a day’s movie watching.

The delectable star is Oscar-winning (for “ Monster” in which she played sex-worker Aileen Wournos executed for murdering clients who had abused her) Charlize Theron. Her dramatic endowment is manifest. She is a beauty on the topmost tier of a business where beautiful women are a principle ingredient of the product. Here we discover her as a deft comedienne.

In Jonathan Levine’s spiky rom-com, Theron plays Charlotte, who at age 16 baby-sat 12-year-old Fred. Fred is now a journalist with an online daily for which he writes confronting exposés of topics needing exposing. Seth Rogen, whom frequent filmgoers will associate with coarse comedies, plays him with a lot of noise.

Charlotte is Secretary of State under a president (Bob Odenkirk) who came to office after playing a president in a popular TV drama series. Charlotte’s political smarts have persuaded him that she is the party’s potential winner in the next presidential election. That coincides with Fred getting fired after his paper gets bought by a new owner (Andy Serkis) who’s going to appear later as a palpable villain. Coincidence brings Fred back into her life as her speechwriter. It’s an unusual combination but in the end it works.

“Long Shot” moves along at a cracking pace with satirical flavour, an absolutely uninhibited vocabulary and body behaviours reflecting Rogen’s unrestrained creative style. The screenplay by Dan Sterling and Liz Hannah is witty and knowledgeable of the media and government environments in which it is unfolding. Outcomes may be a little predictable but not so much so as to defy credibility. The comedy is rich yet subtle. I laughed a lot.

At all cinemas