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A Love Song for Bobby Long

Play trailer Poster for A Love Song for Bobby Long R,  2004,  1h 59m,  Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 43% 96 Reviews Tomatometer 80% 10,000+ Ratings Popcornmeter
43% Tomatometer 96 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
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.
A Love Song for Bobby Long

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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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Critics Reviews

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Nell Minow Common Sense Media Dec 21, 2010
2/5
Not for kids, and not worth it for adults. Go to Full Review
Nick Schager Lessons of Darkness May 3, 2005
B
A Love Song for Bobby Long's trio of lead performances are surprisingly believable. Go to Full Review
Ann Hornaday Washington Post Jan 28, 2005
Traffics in nearly every trite cliche of the 'colorful' South one can think of. Go to Full Review
Shirley Sealy Film Journal International Mar 1, 2007
The film's liabilities outweigh its assets. Go to Full Review
Pablo Villaça Cinema em Cena Mar 28, 2005
2/5
Mais um daqueles independentes norte-americanos cuja presuno de soar profundo logo revela sua verdadeira inteno: emocionar atravs do melodrama. Go to Full Review
John Beifuss Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) Mar 14, 2005
2/4
Tries the patience of sober viewers, who are likely to envy the onscreen eccentrics their ever-present plastic cups of Abita... Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Draco S Aug 27, 2018 I loved the movie. It is not to everyone's tastes because it is a movie that develops slowly because it wants the viewer to feel the decadence of the male characters that are searching for redemption in some way. Forget the professional reviewers too. They are always looking for a way to knock a movie. Sometimes using cliches is needed because it allows for the development of characters in a short space of time. I also like when critics think that because a movie uses familiar themes or plots that this is supposed to be bad as if we have all seen every theme and plot from Shakespeare. See more
Rey S Jul 23, 2018 John Travolta excels in his role as an alcoholic ex-professor. The constant quotes of great writers makes the movie real.
Hermione S Jan 9, 2014 Best movie ever great performance by all the actors and actress in the movies.
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A Love Song for Bobby Long

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A Love Song for Bobby Long

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Movie Info

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
Shainee Gabel, David Lancaster, Paul Miller, Bob Yari
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
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