Cast: John Travolta, Scarlett Johansson, Gabriel Macht , Deborah Kara Unger
Director: Shainee Gabel
Producers: Shainee Gabel, David Lancaster, Paul Miller, Bob Yari
Screenplay: Shainee Gabel, based on Off Magazine Street by Ronald Everett Capps
Cinematography: Elliot Davis
U.S. Distributor: Lions Gate Films
A Love Song for Bobby Long offers a case study of how a single performance can elevate a motion picture. The story is unremarkable - a soap opera filled with clichés - and the direction (by first time feature filmmaker Shainee Gabel) is uninspired. Yet the acting by Scarlett Johansson is so raw and sincere that the film leaves an impact despite its deficiencies. One could argue that what Johansson accomplishes here trumps her 2003 duet of Lost in Translation and The Girl with a Pearl Earring. I'm not willing to go that far, but I will say two things: the actress' work in A Love Song for Bobby Long re-enforces my opinion that Johansson is one of the brightest stars of her generation, and she is hands-down the best thing about this movie.
The A-list star of A Love Song for Bobby Long is John Travolta, who appears greatly aged as a result of makeup and white hair, but there is no moment in which Travolta manages to steal the spotlight from Johansson. He, as well as co-star Gabriel Macht (The Recruit), is reduced to a footnote in the production. The plot requires him to be there, but we hardly notice him. On every level that matters, we identify with Johansson's Pursy Will, and that has more to do with the actress' portrayal than with Gabel's writing or direction.
Pursy comes home when she learns that her estranged mother has died. She arrives too late for the funeral, and discovers that her mother's house is inhabited by two men: the rude and obnoxious Bobby Long (Travolta) and his younger, gentler protégé, Lawson Pines (Gabriel Macht). They lie to Pursy, telling her that her mother willed them each 1/3 of the property (when, in fact, Pursy inherited the whole thing). Despite their presence, Pursy decides to stay in the house. After a rocky start, the three begin to develop an uneasy bond, and, by inches, they open up to one another.
Two of the three characters follow arcs. The third, Lawson, is there primarily to fuel conflict and advance the plot. He also provides an element of romantic tension with Pursy, although this aspect of the plot is left underdeveloped. Bobby's character softens considerably as the film progresses. At the outset, he is almost unbearable. By the time the closing credits have arrived, we have developed a degree of sympathy for the codger. Some of that comes from understanding the difficulties in his life, while some develops because his rougher edges are smoothed out as a result of his interaction with Pursy.
Pursy also changes - the bitterness that fills her soul is gradually replaced by regret, then a sense of belonging. By the time the film concludes, she no longer defines herself as the girl who was abandoned by her mother. Instead, she has come to believe in herself and to find something to live for rather than just waking up the next morning. The film's "surprise" plot twist will not be unexpected for many viewers; it's a weak and obvious attempt by the filmmakers to ratchet up A Love Song for Bobby Long's emotional impact. Nevertheless, despite this and other flaws, the characters remain interesting throughout, and Johansson's acting covers a multitude of sins. In the end, this song has enough of a tune to involve a majority of those in the audience.
© 2004 James Berardinelli