A Love Song for Bobby Long

"The heart is a lonely hunter."

2004 1h 59m EN

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 442

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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

“The heart is a lonely hunter.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

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

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Shainee Gabel
Writers: Shainee Gabel
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 22 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Shainee Gabel, shot by Elliot Davis. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Nathan Larson. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Lisa Fruchtman shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

John Travolta and Scarlett Johansson and Gabriel Macht carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The heart is a lonely hunter.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0369672 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Shainee Gabel directs. Elliot Davis behind the camera. Nathan Larson scores. Lisa Fruchtman cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 22 years ago.
2Directed by Shainee Gabel, shot by Elliot Davis. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Nathan Larson. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Lisa Fruchtman shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5John Travolta and Scarlett Johansson and Gabriel Macht carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "The heart is a lonely hunter.".
7IMDB entry: tt0369672 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Elliot Davis
Original score: Nathan Larson
Editing: Lisa Fruchtman
Production design: Sharon Lomofsky
Costume design: Jill M. Ohanneson
Makeup / hair: Michelle Bühler
Runtime: 119 min · 1h 59m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $1,841,260
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: A Love Song for Bobby Long (2004)

Also by

Shainee Gabel

Anthem
1997 · ★ 5.4

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Wuchak2018-09-23
★ 6/10
Literature-quoting lazy drama about a teen girl and two older boozers living in a hovel in New Orleans A poor, precocious 18 year-old woman (Scarlett Johansson) returns to New Orleans after the death of her estranged mother where she inherits a dilapidated house in the low-income section with two co-heir strangers: A quirky ex-English professor (John Travolta) and his wannabe-writer mentee (Gabriel Macht), both alcoholics in a foggy melancholy. As the story progresses, the truth is slowly revealed. “A Love Song for Bobby Long” (2004) is a sluggish, sometimes humorous drama set in The Big Easy with lotsa poetry & prose, as well as jazz, blues and folk. It’s very literature-quoting in the manner of flicks like “Dead Poets Society” (1989), “Finding Forrester” (2000), “The Squid and the Whale” (2005) and numerous Woody Allen flicks. While the story is lethargic and lacks the drive of “Dead Poets Society,” there’s something to be said for an intelligent American film that dares to take its time and is filled with verbiage that assumes the viewer is well-read. Plus the story perks up in the final act and cutie Johansson is always a pleasure. The movie runs 1 hour, 59 minutes and was shot in New Orleans & Gretna, Louisiana. GRADE: B-/C+
adrienna.rs2025-05-29
★ 10/10
It was the invisible people he wanted to live with. The one that we walk past every day. The ones we sometimes become. The ones in books who live only in someone's minds eye. He was a man who was destined to go through life and not around it. A man who was sure the shortest path to heaven was straight through hell. A Love Song for Bobby Long is a straight up masterpiece. This movie isn’t some action packed sci-fi movie or an emotionally draining drama. This movie is about the lives of two alcoholic failed academics, and a young woman destined for the same path. This movie is about the dull, for the dull. The unconditional love and hatred between the characters is both relatable and terrifying. I think I see myself in Pursy more than I’d like to admit. Her lack of motivation, longing for memories of the life she never had… She’s a beautiful character, and beautifully portrayed. Anyone who’s known me for more than 5 minutes knows that Scarlett Johansson might be my favourite person on the entire planet. She’s an amazing actor, comedian, entrepreneur, producer etc… Even though this might be one of her least popular movies, I think it’s one of her best. This movie really captures the lives, and emotions of unknown people. The people who blend into the background. The nobodies, the highschool drop outs who lives rent to rent. Family can be found, and it will be found even if you might not be looking for it. Even though their awkward relationship, these characters lived. They didn’t have some fake life like the influencers on social media. They lived.