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Features: DVD, Widescreen, Aspect Ratio 1.85:1, Dolby Digital (5.1), Featurette, Audio Commentary, English, Spanish, Subtitled, French Dubbed & Subtitled
Upon hearing of her mother's death, jaded teenage loner Purslane Hominy Will (Scarlett Johansson) returns to New Orleans for the first time in years, ready to reclaim her childhood home. Expecting to find her late mother's house abandoned, Pursy is shocked to discover that it is inhabited by two of her mother's friends: Bobby Long (John Travolta), a former literature professor, and his young protege, Lawson Pines (Gabriel Macht). These broken men, whose lives took a wrong turn years before, have been firmly rooted in the dilapidated house for years, encouraged only by Lawson's faltering ambitions to write a novel about Bobby Long's life. Having no intention of leaving, Pursy, Bobby Long and Lawson are all forced to live together. Yet as time passes, their tenuous, makeshift arrangement unearths a series of buried personal secrets that challenges their bonds, and reveals just how inextricably their lives are intertwined.
"Two Thumbs Up!" Ebert & Roeper
Editor's Note
Dipping a spoon in a jar of peanut butter and coating it in M&Ms while watching gory medical shows on television is, for Pursy (Scarlett Johansson), an afternoon well-spent. But, when her mother's death forces her to get off the couch and leave her trailer park and grimy boyfriend behind, she finds some new friends who have her bested in the sloth department. Arriving at her late mother's home in New Orleans, she meets Bobby Long (John Travolta) and his sidekick Lawson (Gabriel Macht), two sweaty alcoholics who are squatting in the dilapidated dwelling. Bobby Long not only lies to Pursy about the fact that she legally owns the house--taking advantage of her innocence--he also behaves like an angry and aggressive dirty old man. It is Lawson who sees Pursy for who she is--a directionless 18-year-old girl who desperately needs guidance and positive role models. His fatherly support sparks an instant crush between the two, which only fuels Bobby's drinking and deviance. However, with time and patience the three friends find they have more in common than they first realized, and they help each other to get back on track.A moody film in set in toxic shades of blue, green, and red, A LOVE SONG FOR BOBBY LONG combines the lazy, lurking, sometimes romantic mystique of New Orleans with the desperation of three lost souls. Rain storms counterbalance hazy summer days drinking beer and singing folk songs, while Bobby Long and Lawson--who were formerly English teachers--add a necessary dose of intellect with their constant literary trivia.
| Features | Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound | | Bonus Previews | | Director And Cinematographer Commentary | | Interactive Menus | | Scene Selection | | Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese | | Subtitles: English, Spanish, French Dubbed & Subtitled | | Deleted Scenes | | Audio Commentary from Director and Cinematographer | | Behind-the-Scenes Featurette | | Audio: English Dolby Digital (5.1) | | Widescreen Presentation | | Trailers |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Columbia Tri-Star |
| Release Date: 6/27/2006 |
| Running Time: 120 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 2004 | | Catalog ID: 03800 | | UPC: 00043396038004 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English [CC], English, French Dubbed, Portuguese Dubbed | | Available Subtitles: French, Portuguese, Spanish | | Video: Color |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards |
Golden Globe (2005) | | | Scarlett Johansson, Nominee, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama |
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| | Professional Reviews | Los Angeles Times
"[T]he characters grow and deepen as the movie proceeds....In Pursy, Johansson brings to life the kind of teen character we rarely see on screen..." 12/29/2004 p.E1Movieline's Hollywood Life
"Johannsson sidesteps sentimentality and provides a quietly devastating portrayal that steals the show." 12/01/2004 p.104 Entertainment Weekly
"[T]he film thrives on Travolta's charm, and his costars are also appealing..." 04/22/2005 p.51 Premiere
"[T]hrough good intentions and the earnest performances of her cast, [Gabel] has fashioned a dimly lit tale about found family that's not hard to relish." 06/01/2005 p.120 James Berardinelli's ReelViews 8 of 10
A Love Song for Bobby Long offers a case study of how a single performance can elevate a moti - James Berardinelli
Rolling Stone 6 of 10
It's no go. Cliches keep banging into one another as Bobby and Lawson (Gabriel Macht), his former te - Peter Travers
Chicago Sun-Times 7 of 10
It's all wonderfully romantic, especially in the movies, where a little groaning in the morning repl - Roger Ebert
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