A Love Song for Bobby Long 2004

Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: A Love Song for Bobby Long travels all the worn-out roads. Read more

Robert K. Elder, Chicago Tribune: It's a film that feels lived in, confident despite its conventions. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: Sentimental but occasionally moving drama. Read more

Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle: Engaging and transparent at once. Read more

Ebert & Roeper: Read more

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: It's a self-conscious Southern Gothic, awash in literate eccentrics with stories to tell and songs to sing. Read more

AV Club: Read more

Bill Muller, Arizona Republic: Travolta's performance is idiosyncratic but not particularly appealing. He's hampered by an overbearing, sophomoric script and, worse, it's apparent that he doesn't believe in the character, not for one second. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: A Love Song for Bobby Long works hard to give quirk a bad name. Read more

Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times: If there's something a little bit moldy about the setup, the movie is no less charming or involving for it, and it's no less pleasant to succumb to its wayward allure and wastrel lyricism. Read more

Eric Harrison, Houston Chronicle: First-time director Shainee Gabel generally does a good job of moving things along, though the story feels disjointed at times. Read more

Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post: For all its atmospherics, this love song never quite sings. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: Actors do love their colorful Southerners, don't they? The accents, the sexy sheen of sweat on skin, the permitted enjoyment of booze and cigarettes... Read more

Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News: Helmed by first-time feature director-screenwriter Shainee Gabel, the movie dawdles a bit and relies heavily on stereotypical Southern eccentricity. In the long haul, it wins you over -- although it does seem like a long haul. Read more

Ella Taylor, L.A. Weekly: Suffers from a galloping case of Southernitis. Read more

Gene Seymour, Newsday: [Has] a cast magnetic enough to make you overlook the movie's hothouse-flower flimsiness as melodrama. Read more

Logan Hill, New York Magazine/Vulture: Read more

Lisa Rose, Newark Star-Ledger: Love Song is one of those actor-oriented movies that was probably fun to shoot, but isn't nearly so enjoyable to watch. Read more

Jack Mathews, New York Daily News: [Johansson] gives Pursy the combination of hope and determination that makes her journey worthwhile. Read more

Rex Reed, New York Observer: Conjuring memories of my own student days in the bayou belt, I recall English professors on Southern campuses who were the spitting image of everything Mr. Travolta says and does in this film. Read more

Stephen Holden, New York Times: In the first feature directed by Shainee Gabel, John Travolta delivers a hammed-up scenery-chewing variation of the brainy good ole boy he played in Primary Colors. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: The acting by Scarlett Johansson is so raw and sincere that the film leaves an impact despite its deficiencies. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: It's remarkable to listen to dialogue that assumes the audience is well-read. Read more

Christy Lemire, Journal News (Westchester, NY): Read more

Mike Clark, USA Today: Over the course of a pressing-it two hours, we learn some deep, dark secrets that aren't that deep if you've seen a lot of movies. Read more

David Rooney, Variety: John Travolta and Scarlett Johansson make this tale of misfits thrown together an agreeable enough time-passer despite newcomer Shainee Gabel's flowery dialogue and pedestrian direction. Read more

Ed Park, Village Voice: Exasperating Southern-lit seminar. Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: Bobby Long makes you want to reach for a classic New Orleans cure -- let's say, a Sazerac in a go-cup -- and drink yourself to sweet oblivion. Read more

Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: Traffics in nearly every trite cliche of the 'colorful' South one can think of. Read more