Rating: R
Genre:
Drama
Theatrical Release: 12/29/2004(USA)
Release Date: 04/19/2005
SubTitles: English/French/Espanol/Por
Dubbed: English/French/Por
Sound: DD5.1
Run Time: 120 Minutes
Flags: Adult Situations, Profanity, Sexual Situations
Distributor/Studio: Columbia TriStar
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 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, All Movie Guide