Common Sense Media Review
By Tara McNamara
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Playful romcom about life priorities has lots of swearing.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Long Story Short
What's the Story?
In LONG STORY SHORT, Teddy (Rafe Spall) falls in love with Leanne (Zahra Newman) but puts off marriage because he's too busy. Observing their predicament, a mysterious stranger gifts Teddy a true wedding "present." The morning after his marriage, Teddy's life starts jumping forward a year every few minutes, letting him peek into how his life is affected by misplaced priorities.
Is It Any Good?
Josh Lawson's romantic comedy about a wedding present for a guy whose priorities are askew is a truly funny, heartwarming comedy. Nothing is unusual about the way Teddy is written: He's a slightly more evolved man-child. But the way Spall plays Teddy makes him mesmerizing and connects us to his plight. Spall is one of Edgar Wright's mainstays, and Teddy's droll banter with his love (Newman), best friend (Ronny Chieng), and ex (Dena Kaplan) is reminiscent of the authentic yet hilarious style we've come to love from Wright's dynamic duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.
Yes, there are plenty of the expected romcom elements in Long Story Short. But even as Teddy gets weary of his forced time-jumping, the concept never feels forced, and the story doesn't get tired. Sure, the busy partner/parent who's too career obsessed to enjoy the true loves of his life is a total cliche, except for one thing: It's a real-life trap that many people get sucked into. The time-travel romance genre continues to prove that getting swept away in a fantasy that somehow relates to our own lives is an effective device. The place where a lack of creativity is felt is in the script's overreliance on "f--k" as an adjective, noun, verb, and adverb. It's the only thing that prevents this film from being appropriate for a broader age range. Persistent profanity in dialogue that would othewise be smart? Now, that's tired.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Long Story Short's message concerning the value of family and interpersonal relationships as compared to work and career.
Why are time travel movies popular? What makes them work well in the romance genre? How does this one compare to others you've seen in this category?
Adults: If you knew then what you know now about life, what -- if anything -- would you change?
Families can also talk about how life can throw us curveballs that feel like a nightmare, as Teddy expressed, but often turn out to work out for the better. How can we keep this in mind as we're facing challenges?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 2, 2021
- On DVD or streaming : July 2, 2021
- Cast : Rafe Spall , Zahra Newman , Ronny Chieng
- Director : Josh Lawson
- Inclusion Information : Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Saban Films
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Friendship
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language throughout
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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