A Love Song for Bobby Long (2004)

A headstrong young woman returns to New Orleans after the death of her estranged mother.

Director:

Shainee Gabel

Writers:

Ronald Everett Capps (novel), Shainee Gabel (screenplay)

Stars:

Scarlett Johansson, John Travolta, Gabriel Macht

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Travolta	...	Bobby Long
Scarlett Johansson	...	Pursy Will
Gabriel Macht	...	Lawson Pines
Deborah Kara Unger	...	Georgianna
Dane Rhodes	...	Cecil
David Jensen	...	Junior
Clayne Crawford	...	Lee
Sonny Shroyer	...	Earl
Carol Sutton	...	Ruthie
Walter Breaux	...	Ray
Warren Kole	...	Sean (as Warren Blosjo)
Bernard Johnson	...	Tiny
Gina 'Ginger' Bernal	...	Waitress
Douglas M. Griffin	...	Man #1 (as Douglas Griffin)
Earl Maddox	...	Man #2

Storyline

A young woman, Pursy (played by Scarlett Johansson), learns that her estranged mother has died in New Orleans. She returns to her mother's house to discover that it is inhabited by two men, one an aging alcoholic, Bobby Long (John Travolta).

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Plot Keywords:

sexual tension | 2000s | housemate | based on a novel | dilapidated house | 

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Taglines:

The heart is a lonely hunter.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language including some sexual references

Did You Know?

Trivia

The production ran into budgetary problems halfway through. Several background extras were brought to a New Orleans location, fitted for costumes, fed dinner, and then sent home without pay because their scene had been cut. Some New Orleans retailers complained that thousands of dollars worth of clothes were returned unused because the scenes they were bought for were never filmed.

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Goofs

Geraldine asks if Lorraine finally kicked them out. Through the smoke from Bobby's cigarette we see Lawson light his cigarette. After Bobby says God wouldn't let that happen Lawson lights the cigarette again.

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Quotes

Bobby Long: Now just exactly who is Plato and who is Socrates in this equation? Cause fuck, I'll just stay out.
Lawson Pines: You are Socrates, of course. You are the teacher.
Bobby Long: Goddamn right I am.
Pursy Will: I wish you'd all just shut up. Cause if it's gonna be like this, I ain't learning nothing.
Bobby Long: Girl, your English is fucking atrocious!

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Connections

Referenced in The Benchwarmers (2006)

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Soundtracks

Someday
Performed by Los Lobos
Written by David Hidalgo and Louie Perez (as Louis Perez)
Courtesy of Slash / Warner Bros. Records, Inc.
By Arrangement with Warner Strategic Marketing

User Reviews

this is a great film

This may be one of john travolta's finest acting roles. The critic reviews were lukewarm, and it seems the movie wasn't released in many theaters for people to see, which is a shame. This is a gem of a film. It takes place in new orleans and follows the lives of three unlikely roommates. Two drunken men living in a dilapidated house of a dead woman, and the woman's estranged only daughter who comes to claim her inheritance-a third of the house. With no place to go, the three stay together under the same roof and a friendship somehow grows, like grass through a sidewalk crack. Well acted, and well directed, there are times the pace of the film seems to slacken but it doesn't take away from the story being told. All in all, one of my favorite films no one saw this year.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 January 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Love Song for Bobby Long

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$28,243, 2 January 2005

Gross USA:

$164,308

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,039,526

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lions Gate Films, Destination Films, El Camino Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1