A Love Song for Bobby Long

R

Released Dec 29, 2004

1h 59m

Drama

List

44%

98 Reviews

Tomatometer

80%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Bobby Long (John Travolta), a former professor turned full-time drunkard, and Lawson Pines (Gabriel Macht), Long's former teaching assistant, spend their days drinking and swapping literary quotations in a New Orleans house owned by a deceased lounge singer. When the singer's daughter, Pursy (Scarlett Johansson), shows up to reclaim her mother's property, Bobby and Lawson try to grift their way into keeping the home while attempting to convince the high-school dropout to pursue an education.

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Critics Consensus

A Love Song for Bobby Long gets by for a few bars on the strength of its core cast, but the story's preponderance of kooky clichés falls flat.

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Music L

Just about the sweetest movie you'll ever see. Put it at the top of your list!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/13/24

Full Review

Mary f

This movie is great for anyone who loves the nitty gritty of life in New Orleans.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/23/23

Full Review

G. W

Couldn't get past the horrible fake accents and the overall characters made to be a mere caricature of real people. The story might be brilliant, but the terrible acting is just too hard to swallow.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

06/19/23

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razvan p

well shot , well acted.. even if the story is meh

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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dave s

When Pursy Will (Scarlett Johansson) returns to New Orleans to administer to her late mother's estate, she finds Bobby (John Travolta), a disgraced university professor, and Lawton (Gabriel Macht), a writer who can't write, both unemployed alcoholics, living in her mother's home. It's a story of lost hope, unattainable dreams, redemption and finding some form of family within a community of strangers. On the positive side, Johansson is fantastic in the lead role, the score is excellent and the film captures the feel of the downtrodden side of New Orleans. From a negative perspective, the movie has an unrelentingly oppressive atmosphere, where the only tension comes from the anticipation of somebody cracking a smile. It's also ridiculously predictable, topped off with a performance from Travolta that gives the vibe that he isn't comfortable portraying a Southerner or a drunkard.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is actually my favorite movie of all time. I love New Orleans, I love real people, and I love books. The textures and characters in this film are captivating. The music and the old house are characters themselves. The film was a labor of love to make, as it took five years and had to work within a small budget as well as other constraints for a small independent movie project. Scarlett Johansson is so real, and it is fascinating to see her grow in this film literally from around age 15 to 20 over the years of the project. I loved John Travolta, Gabriel Macht, and all the other cast members. I really cannot believe the critics were so harsh with this movie. The higher audience score reflects a more fair appraisal. Is the movie perfect? No. Is it wonderful? Yes. If you appreciate authenticity, and a view into struggles of realistic people to find redemption and make human connections after life's tragedies beat them down--I predict you might love this movie too. Sometimes it is the only movie I can watch. Peace and love y'all

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

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Shainee Gabel

Director

John Travolta

Bobby Long

Scarlett Johansson

Pursy Will

Gabriel Macht

Lawson Pines

Deborah Kara Unger

Georgianna

Dane Rhodes

Cecil

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Not for kids, and not worth it for adults.

Rated: 2/5

Dec 21, 2010

Full Review

Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

A Love Song for Bobby Long's trio of lead performances are surprisingly believable.

Rated: B

May 3, 2005

Full Review

Ann Hornaday

Washington Post

Traffics in nearly every trite cliche of the 'colorful' South one can think of.

Jan 28, 2005

Full Review

Shirley Sealy

Film Journal International

The film's liabilities outweigh its assets.

Mar 1, 2007

Full Review

Film Threat

Rated: 4/5

Dec 6, 2005

Full Review

Pablo Villaça

Cinema em Cena

Mais um daqueles independentes norte-americanos cuja presuno de soar profundo logo revela sua verdadeira inteno: emocionar atravs do melodrama.

Rated: 2/5

Mar 28, 2005

Full Review

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Synopsis

Bobby Long (John Travolta), a former professor turned full-time drunkard, and Lawson Pines (Gabriel Macht), Long's former teaching assistant, spend their days drinking and swapping literary quotations in a New Orleans house owned by a deceased lounge singer. When the singer's daughter, Pursy (Scarlett Johansson), shows up to reclaim her mother's property, Bobby and Lawson try to grift their way into keeping the home while attempting to convince the high-school dropout to pursue an education.

Director: Shainee Gabel
Producer: Randall Emmett, George Furla, Brad Krevoy
Screenwriter: Shainee Gabel
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Production Co: E1 Entertainment, Stratus Films, Emmett/Furla Films, El Camino Pictures
Rating: R (Some Sexual References|Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 29, 2004, Original
Release Date (DVD): Apr 19, 2005
Box Office (Gross USA): $159.2K
Runtime: 1h 59m
Sound Mix: Surround