If you haven't seen LONG SHOT, you're missing one of the best rom-coms of recent years

Further, if you imagine that you won't or can't buy the purported chemistry between leads Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen, forget it. From the very first scene of LONG SHOT, that chemistry clicks -- thanks to the actors and the work of director, Jonathan Levine (below) and writers Dan Sterling and Liz Hannah (of The Post) -- and it's soon going into overdrive.

The script is cogent, funny and timely, and the movie's full-drive feminism is bracing, as well.

That Mr. Rogen commits so thoroughly to his role and what it means is particularly commendable (the film's closing scene is wonderful), and both his and Ms Theron's performance go a long way toward covering the minor credibility quibbles you might have.

Mr. Levine (at left, of The Wackness and Warm Bodies) does a fine job of pacing (with the help of his editors Melissa Bretherton and Evan Henke), while drawing neat performances from the entire supporting ensemble, which includes the likes of June Diane Raphael and Bob Odenkirk.

The funny and quite politically savvy plot has to do with a U.S. Secretary of State (Theron) considering a run for President when the sitting Prez (Odenkirk, above, left) decides to abdicate for a hoped-for movie career (his was formerly only a TV star,  you see). Theron then hires Rogen (below, left), playing a noted left-wing journalist, to do her speech writing.

The pair are so very good together you'll want them to make more movies (like we once did Myrna Loy and William Powell in that Thin Man series), but for now, this one ought to suffice our longing for smart, funny rom-coms that might help bring America back into intelligence and, hell, even caring.

Sure, the movie's nowhere near as satiric, nasty and funny as Veep, whose characters are consistently self-involved, putting themselves above all else, including everyone around them and their country itself. Yes, Long Shot might be a fairy tale about what might happen if a few people stuck to their guns. But if so, this is one fucking fairy tale we desperately need.

A word must be mentioned about Alexander Skarsgård (above, left), playing the goofy Canadian Prime Minister, while showing another side of his enormous versatility (see Netflix's bizarre Mute for yet another side of that versatility).  There is finally so much in this movie to delight and entertain, while cleverly reminding you of a lot of things that need fixing in our current state of political and man/woman affairs. Don't let Long Shot get past you, either now, in its theatrical release, or when it finally hits home video.

From Lionsgate and running a full two hours and five minutes that never seems at all lengthy, the movie is playing now at a theater near you. Click here to find one (or more) of those.