Cast: Drew Berymore, Justin Long
Director: Nanette Burstein
Drew Barrymore and Justin Long star as a couple struggling to maintain a long-distance relationship in "Going The Distance", the kind of surprisingly rare romantic comedy that comes with a believable, real-world premise. ((pause)) He's a record-label flunky living in Manhattan; she's a wannabe journalist interning at a New York newspaper. What starts off as a no-strings-attached affair quickly turns into a real romance. But when her internship comes to an end six weeks later, she must return home to San Francisco.
Thankfully this film avoids the typical clichés you'd expect in this kind of situation, and addresses more pertinent issues like trust, and sexual longing. Set in the current climate where new jobs are hard to find, the film also throws up an interesting conflict: Which of them should quit their job so they can move closer to be with their partner?
Unfortunately, "Going The Distance" doesn't have a solid enough script for it to work as a mature rom-com for a mature audience. Instead it gets repetitive and predictable in its second half, and the promising premise that had you hooked in the start gets lost somewhere in all those raunchy sex jokes between Long and his best friends.
The leads have a warm, comfortable chemistry, and their sparks ignite this film to some extent. Drew Barrymore and Justin Long are an on-off couple in real life too, and their chemistry makes up for many of the script's shortcomings.
In the end, "Going The Distance" tires out before the finishing line, but it's a satisfying watch if all you're seeking is some time-pass entertainment. I'm going with two out of five for "Going The Distance". Catch it on a lazy weekend when you have nothing better to do!
Rating: 2 / 5
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