The Long Game

The Long Game (2025) presents a peculiar premise, centering on the unexpected friendship between a woman and an older gentleman. While the concept could have offered an intimate exploration of human connection across generations, the execution falls flat. From the opening scenes, it's clear that the film is operating on a low budget, which isn't inherently a problem, but the technical and narrative shortcomings quickly become apparent.

The acting is one of the film's weakest elements. The cast consists largely of unknown actors who fail to bring depth or nuance to their roles. The chemistry between the leads, which is critical for a story about a meaningful and evolving friendship, feels stilted and unconvincing. This lack of engagement from the performers makes it difficult to invest in the narrative or care about the characters' journey.

Editing issues further detract from the viewing experience. Scenes often feel disjointed, and transitions are awkward, preventing the story from flowing naturally. Pacing suffers as a result, with some sequences dragging unnecessarily while others rush through potentially significant moments. The film struggles to maintain narrative cohesion, which leaves the audience frustrated rather than immersed.

The screenplay itself does little to elevate the story. Dialogue is uneven and often unconvincing, lacking subtlety or emotional resonance. Plot developments are predictable, and character motivations are rarely explored in a meaningful way. As a result, the story feels hollow, offering little insight or payoff, and the friendship at the heart of the film never truly resonates.

From a production standpoint, the film's limitations are apparent. Set design, cinematography, and sound all reflect the low-budget constraints, and while some effort is visible, the overall presentation feels amateurish. These technical shortcomings compound the issues with acting and screenplay, creating a viewing experience that is difficult to engage with meaningfully.

Ultimately, The Long Game (2025) is an underwhelming film. Despite an interesting concept, its poor acting, uneven screenplay, and weak technical execution prevent it from achieving its potential. It's not a film that invites repeat viewing, and audiences seeking compelling storytelling or strong performances will likely be disappointed. This is a movie best approached with low expectations, primarily as a curiosity rather than a cinematic achievement.

At the time I looked into "The Long Game," it was rated 6.6 with only one IMDb review and that was a 1. Not helpful, I read the two critic reviews and they were both very impressed. So I had no choice but to dive in and make up my own mind.

It is a new noir film starring Sekai Abeni in her movie debut as a young struggling actress in LA who gets involved with an older ex-actor (Jackie Earle Haley) and they both scheme to take advantage of a movie star past her prime (Kathleen Turner). I generally don't care for noir-new or otherwise-or else my rating might be slightly higher, but I give it credit for keeping me guessing until the end.

Considering the budget, the production quality was acceptable. It being Abeni's first feature, I think she did an admirable job-especially considering she was up against Haley and Turner but still pretty much held her own. Haley is always good and Turner seems totally at ease here. My only issue is that I don't buy the relationship between Abeni and Haley's characters. There's no real chemistry and the love scenes (which are thankfully brief) are rather cringy. That distraction was just enough to throw my attention off, and for a film that requires your attention, that's a problem.

But my overall impression was a positive one, although not overwhelming. The acting raises the bar and good luck keeping up with the plot twists. But if you're impatient for car chases and explosions, this will not be for you.