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.
