I may be slightly biased here, but these characters are extremely relatable. Erin and Garrett are both young enough to be fun and cutesy, but old enough to be believable as intelligent adults. They are struggling in big cities, have crazy friends, are worried about how to pay for their next plane ticket, and trying to keep their job (or simply get one) in a world that’s changing faster than we ever imagined possible.
But is Going The Distance a realistic depiction of a long-distance relationship? The truth — and I hate to admit this — is that it’s pretty accurate. Distance is difficult, missing the same person every day is the worst, your friends will make fun of you for texting incessantly and someone usually has to give something up to make it successful. But talking on the phone isn’t all bad (no, I will not comment on the phone sex scenes, I’m a lady!), and seeing each other for the first time in months is the best thing in the universe.
The actors are really the shining lights here. Drew Barrymore almost plays her age, as a 31-year old getting her life together a bit late, and Justin Long does a great job of being … himself. His two best friends, played by Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day, were hands-down the best part of this hour-and-a-half, but maybe that’s because they are connected to my two favorite shows (Sudeikis to 30 Rock and Day to It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia). Then again, it’s probably because those two gents are legitimately hilarious and talented. Kristin Schaal’s cameo made me giggle (a lot) and Jim Gaffigan brings his goofy married-guy routine to the table, which actually makes sense paired with Christina Applegate’s pitch-perfect neurotic mommyness.
If you planned on seeing only one rom-com this year, Going the Distance is probably the one you should spend your hard-earned cash on. The cast alone is worth the price of admission and it pulls on more than one heart string. I don't give stars online because that's sooooo typical (see the print review for a traditional star rating). Instead, my emoticon system of judgment (patent pending): Going the Distance gets a two smileys, a laugh, a heart and half a tear.
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Wait! I forgot to mention the soundtrack!! I wanted to sing along at least twice. For realzies. You will too.
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On the list of “top ten things I hate,” romantic comedies fall somewhere between gum-snapping and mushrooms. (They are a fungus; I can’t believe people consume such things.) So naturally, I jumped at the chance to review Going the Distance, the new film starring Drew Barrymore and Justin Long. You see, even though I hate something in general, there are always a few exceptions to my list. One of those exceptions is Fever Pitch also starring Drew Barrymore, so I have a bit of faith in her. Mostly though, I have a personal connection to the premise of Going the Distance, as my boyfriend recently moved to New York and I am currently in the midst of one of these less-than-ideal situations.
If you haven’t watched any women-centric programming lately and missed the many previews for Going the Distance, let me fill you in: Erin (Barrymore) and Garrett (Long) meet in NYC but she has to move back to San Fran in six weeks. Montages and awkward phone sex ensue. Cookie-cutter and dull, right? Maybe. Though the story isn’t revolutionary, it isn’t boring either.
