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If you were to ask most people what they thought of Justin Long, they’d characterize him as that “awkward, hands in pockets guy from early aughts comedies.” They would be right; he does know how to exude quirk— but Long is a riskier actor than he gets credit for. The actor debuted in 1999’s Galaxy Quest but became a regular in comedies like Dodgeball (2004), Waiting (2005), and Idiocracy (2006). He has no big awards to his name, but Long’s presence in some lesser-known films warrants more attention. Here are just four movies that highlight why you should be paying more attention to Justin Long.
1. Comet
Comet, as a whole, should be on your list of must-sees. It’s an engaging ride for any Eternal Sunshine fan with an addictive momentum. After meeting by chance at a meteor shower, Dell and Kimberly begin a six-year relationship shown through glimpses of parallel universes and unchronological flashbacks. On paper, it sounds pretentious, and it might be, but it’s exceptionally done.
Justin Long has played a few “sad bois” in his time, but there’s something different in his role of Dell; an earnest yearning that pulls on all the right heartstrings. After seeing Long in so many comedies, watching him in something dramatic like this begs for your attention and holds it well.
2. The Sasquatch Gang
Brought to you by the same out-of-the-box team from Napoleon Dynamite, The Sasquatch Gang follows young sci-fi/fantasy enthusiast Gavin Gore and his ragtag group of friends after they discover what they believe to be Bigfoot tracks in the woods. However, two of Gavin’s neighbors planted some fake evidence as a plan to get out of debt, and soon the publicity stunt gains the attention of a local Sasquatch “expert.”
Justin Long stars as Zerk, Gavin’s ridiculous, mulleted neighbor behind the Bigfoot debacle. What makes this performance intriguing from his others is that he is not a straight-man. That role goes to his topless friend Shirts, played by Cabin Fever‘s Joey Kern, who masters dry comedy in a wispy voice while never putting down his soda. As strange as it is to see Long in the obnoxious shoes, wiping his pits on curtains and throwing out juvenile insults, it’s a refreshing change of pace to love-to-hate him.
3. Tusk
Long is no stranger to horror with his performances in Jeepers Creepers and Drag Me To Hell, but there’s nothing quite like Kevin Smith’s 2014 black comedy, Tusk. In what can only be described as a Stephen King novel meets Human Centipede, the movie tells the story of an American podcaster who comes to Canada for an exciting interview, only to be trapped inside the man’s experiment.
The film originated from a lot of yes-anding in a conversation about an odd online ad in episode 259 of Smith’s podcast, SMODCAST. After being sent the script, Long said
I knew I was going to do it because I wanted to work with Kevin, and I got to the point in my career where having fun with these movies became the most important thing.
“Justin Long talks about becoming a walrus in ‘Tusk’ ” Cantonrep.com (2014) (( i. )).
Tusk is not a film for everyone. It is gross and weird and would never grace my must-watch list, but it’s incredibly endearing when an actor takes a role for the fun of it. That type of actor makes you excited every time you see them in movies because you never know what they’ll do next. As disturbing and ridiculous as this movie was, I enjoyed thinking about what behind the scenes must have been like.
4. Accepted
I know Accepted feels out of place on this list. It’s definitely the most well-known and largest budgeted of the four. Yet, you cannot deny, it spotlights Justin Long’s best features. Accepted tells the tale of Bartleby, rejected from the colleges he applied to and, therefore, starts his own as a ruse to keep his parent’s disappointment at bay. Hijinks ensue.
The movie as a whole holds up better than most from its era of comedy, and you come out of it loving Justin Long. In feel-good film terms, Long’s performance sweats “likable” protagonist. Arguably this is the gateway to Long movies, and for that, it must be included here.
The Long Road
Overall, Justin Long continues to be a plucky face that you’re happy to see pop up, especially since he stays out of the “Hollywood hubbub” for the most part. While he hasn’t done many movies since 2017, he’s made appearances in New Girl, F Is For Family, and Netflix’s Giri/Haji. He is an actor that is perfect for a feel-good rom-com, but he’s definitely got his indie chops as well and isn’t afraid to take risks if it means he gets to have fun.
Keep your eyes peeled for his next role as Max in Lady of the Manor, which Long actually wrote and will also be his directorial debut. The film just finished production. Lady of the Manor is a comedy that tells the story of an aimless ne’er-do-well who becomes a tour guide in a historic estate and winds up befriending the manor’s resident ghost. The cast is an eclectic bunch consisting of Justin Long, Judy Greer, Melanie Lynskey, Ryan Phillippe, Luiz Guzman, among others. I am sure it will be a fantastic watch to add to the Long marathon.