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John Travolta, Scarlett Johansson, Gabriel Macht, Deborah Kara Unger, Dane Rhodes ... see more see more... , Don Brady , Walter Breaux , Dave Jensen , Patrick McCullough , Sonny Shroyer , Carol Sutton , William H. Barnett , Nick Loren , Clayne Crawford , Douglas M. Griffin , Steven Maye , Warren Blosjo , Gina "Ginger" Bernal , Earl Maddox , Leanne Cochran , Brooke Mueller , Bernard "Bunchy" Johnson

Bobby Long (John Travolta) is a washed up former literature professor with a voracious drinking habit. He lives in a rundown house in New Orleans with Lawson Pines (Gabriel Macht of The Recruit), his ... read more read more...former star pupil, also an alcoholic. Lawson is allegedly writing a novel about Bobby. Their depressive little corner of the world is disrupted when Lorraine, the beloved eccentric singer who owns their house, dies. Her teenage daughter, Pursy (Scarlett Johansson), who hasn't seen her mother in years, arrives in town too late for the funeral, and crashes at the house. Afraid of being thrown out on the street, Bobby convinces Lawson to tell Pursy that the house has been left to all three of them. Pursy, having little else to do, decides to move in, and starts cleaning up the place, making it her own. Lawson is involved with Georgianna (Deborah Kara Unger), who works at the local bar, but he quickly develops a crush on the comely Pursy. The cantankerous Bobby seems determined to drive the girl away. As Pursy settles into the diverse little community, all of Lorraine's old friends tell her how much she looks like her mother, and she begins to uncover some startling truths about her family history. A Love Song for Bobby Long is based on the novel Off Magazine Street, by Ronald Everett Capps. It was adapted for the screen and directed by Shainee Gabel, who co-directed the documentary Anthem. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

Flixster Users

79% liked it

21,723 ratings

Critics

42% liked it

99 critics

R, 1 hr. 59 min.

Directed by: Shainee Gabel

Release Date: December 29, 2004

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DVD Release Date: February 22, 2005

Stats: 1,296 reviews

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A Love Song for Bobby Long Pursy and Bobby Lawson,Pursy and Bobby A Love Song for Bobby Long A Love Song for Bobby Long
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Flixster Reviews (1,296)

  • allan913
    March 4, 2010
    allan913
    One of John Travolta's best performances ever. He's smart, funny, brilliant, incredible and unforgettable. An Oscar caliber performance. He has never delivered a better performance than he has here. Scarlett Johansson is sensational. Gabriel Macht is terrific. The entire cast wor... read moreks with such energy and dedication. An outstanding movie. Riveting, enjoyable, proficient and wonderfully entertaining. This is such an marvelous film. A beautiful piece of film that never misses a note. A masterpiece plain and simple. Simply magnificent and unforgettable. It's moving, intelligent and well-crafted.
  • gatorgirl13
    June 23, 2009
    gatorgirl13
    Brilliant. John Travolta is so utterly lovable in this. The whole plot of the movie is fantastic and all of the actors perform amazingly. One of my favorites, for sure.
  • movieguru12
    May 11, 2009
    movieguru12
    Dissapointing and it wasn't good that I was tired that night as well.
  • kiriyamakazou
    April 20, 2009
    kiriyamakazou
    Starts fairly promisingly. It looks good and John Travolta is giving one of his best performances in years. Johansson shows up and doesn't let her looks become a distraction. It soon becomes just more sentimental crap trying it's hardest to tug at the heart strings. It tugs so ha... read morerd that they simply snap and are rendered useless. Every character starts blurting out their inner feelings and emotions via long winded speeches. The ending is also a quick exit for the writer. It would have been great for a less dialogue heavy version where you can contemplate on the characters yourself. Instead we just get more forced drama shenannigans and of course Travolta just HAS to dance.
  • ironclad1609
    October 22, 2008
    ironclad1609
    The story of a young woman moving into a run down house she inherited together with two drinking losers has potential for all kinds of movies. This is a humorous but calm family drama with three really convincing main roles. Travolta and Johansson are great as always, newcomer Ga... read morebriel Macht isn't any worse. The story of the two misfits taking care of the girl's school career is sometimes slow, maybe even too slow in the middle of the film, but easily carried by the humor and the acting performances. The film is also very beautifully shot, especially the New Orleans summer heat is almost palpable in most scenes. And the end, when the real reason for their connection is revealed, is actually really sweet and touching. Puts a smile on your face.
  • mndsawas
    December 9, 2010
    mndsawas
    This was different and generally an interesting character study of three people.The down side was too much profanity, too much bickering and too much "attitude.So, if you like good acting and appreciate outstanding cinematography, which this movie boasts and don't mind soap-opera... read more-type stories, you should like this film very much. This has a certain fascination to it, but I got tired of the constant profanity and negative personalities of two of those three main characters so I lost interest by the halfway mark.
  • gator681
    February 8, 2006
    gator681
    [font=Century Gothic]"A Love Song for Bobby Long" starts out just after the death of Lorraine Will, a singer, in New Orleans. Her daughter, Pursline(Scarlett Johansson), is a high school dropout living in a trailer park in Panama City, Fl. She finds out about the funeral a day ... read moretoo late. Once she arrives in New Orleans, she finds two alcoholic friends of her mother's living in her house - Bobby Long(John Travolta), a former literature professor and his loyal sidekick, Lawson(Gabriel Macht), who occasionally works on the Great American Novel. The men reveal that the house has been willed to all three of them.[/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic]"A Love Song for Bobby Long" is overall a mediocre movie that ends on a bad note. There is a nice message about the importance of education and some good dialogue(just the thought of teaching William Burroughs in a Catholic school...) but the film resembles nothing more than a middling stage play. That having been said, it does a very good job of capturing the ambience of New Orleans. Scarlett Johansson does show some range but John Travolta's performance is too mannered. [/font]
  • fb704730572
    April 28, 2011
    fb704730572
    Travolta at his best, and Scarlett Johansson looking as sexy as ever in this moving, authentic, and quite brilliant drama. Set in New Orleans, it has a charming, old, and worn look. Maybe too slow for some, but well worth it for those that can relate.
  • EbertsLittleApprentice
    January 13, 2010
    EbertsLittleApprentice
    "On Magazine Street" is beautiful portaryed, and Johansson and Travolta make this Dramatic-Heartfelt story a good one.

    An Instant Classic. "Johansson is utterly amazing in this film. Travolta is classy, and stingy as a well educated , yet unhappy scholar from years ago.

    Th... read moree stars in this film are exceptional and rarely miss a note.
    This film was full emotions, and heartfelt feeling. It is full smart dialouge.

    This film is full Pervasive Sexually Explict Dialouge and refferences. This film is a great story, told with an old southern backdrop and feeling.

    Four out of Four" Stars. Strong Reccomendation.
  • irisheyes686
    May 14, 2009
    irisheyes686
    I really liked this movie. The acting was good, and the cast worked really well together. I liked how the story was told.

View All A Love Song for Bobby Long Reviews

Critic Reviews

Ann Hornaday
January 28, 2005
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

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

Carla Meyer
January 28, 2005
Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle

Engaging and transparent at once. Full Review

Eric Harrison
January 28, 2005
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. Full Review

Robert Denerstein
January 28, 2005
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News

The movie can't save itself from stewing in some awfully familiar juices.

Lisa Kennedy
January 28, 2005
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

For all its atmospherics, this love song never quite sings. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 28, 2005
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

It's remarkable to listen to dialogue that assumes the audience is well-read. Full Review

Ty Burr
January 28, 2005
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

A Love Song for Bobby Long works hard to give quirk a bad name. Full Review

Bill Muller
January 27, 2005
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 o... Full Review

Desson Thomson
January 27, 2005
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. Full Review

Philip Wuntch
January 27, 2005
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 d... Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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A Love Song for Bobby Long Trivia

  • In which movie Scarlett Johanson and John travolta co-starring?  Answer »
  • which two actors are the lead roles in A Love Song for Bobby Long?  Answer »
  • Who played Pursy Will in the 2004 movie A love Song for Bobby Long?  Answer »
  • What movie staring John Travolta and Scarlett Johansson, does Purslane Hominy(Johansson) visit her recently deceased mother's house only to find two men(Travolta & Gabriel Macht) living there?  Answer »
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