Review: Going the Distance Pays Off

For all we know, they might be dating today. Or maybe they’ll be dating again tomorrow ? the two refuse to discuss their relationship in the media. Traditionally, Labor Day marks not only the end of summer, but the last gasp for films that movie studios feel might have a three-day window and nothing more. F irst, let me say how much I hate the title “Going the Distance.” In the age of “Superbad” and “Knocked Up,” I believe this R-rated comedy title is wussified. But however mysterious their on-again, off-again coupledom is in real life, their chemistry on-screen in the raunchy but charming Going the Distance is credible, intimate and more appealing than 90% of the romantic pairings in American movies these days. Along with their other best friend, Dan (Charlie Day), they spend a lot of time in a generic New York City bar with a videogame, the kind that keeps track of high scorers. Whether it fits or not. Second, let me say that I was pleasantly surprised. If Justin Long or Drew Barrymore were to recreate the speech it would go something like “relationships are relationships.” And they are. They drink beer, affirm their buddydom, and lament their lack of girlfriends. Going in I expected another Drew Barrymore romantic comedy along the lines of “Fever Pitch” (2005), in this case featuring on-again, off-again boyfriend, actor and Apple pitchman Justin Long. When we meet her, Erin is a summer intern at the fictional New York Sentinel , dispirited after failing to capture the attention of her distracted, downtrodden editor (the excellent Matt Servitto). As she prepares to return to California , they impulsively decide at the airport to update their boyfriend-girlfriend status to long distance and exclusive.

Of course, that’s easier said than done. Garrett has just been dumped again and again the guys are offering their advice: he needs to commit. Erin (Barrymore) is a budding journalist who wants a newspaper job. One of the things I liked best about the film is how it is grounded in the grim economics of the newspaper and recording industries. High airfares keep visits to once every four months, phone sex proves unsatisfying, they waste Skype -cam time fawning over baby panda videos, and there are only so many emoticons that can accompany texts saying “LUV U!” Meanwhile, Erin’s protective sister (an underused Christina Applegate ) worries this relationship will distract Erin, like an earlier one that resulted in her “derailed time line.” Nonetheless, the two crazy kids try to make it work despite the hurdles. Never mind that they’re all pretty boorish and juvenile and no one in her right mind would commit to any one of them. The comic interplay between the three men is of mixed quality. The clean-shaven one with a job (A&R at a small record label that sends him to sign wannabe Jonas-Brothers acts), Garrett is the designated least offensive buddy (i.e., the male romantic lead), so when he heads off to play the videogame, you know exactly what will happen: he’ll meet the female romantic lead. It’s also packed with anachronistic references (audio cassettes, “Centipede” video games, countless “Top Gun” shout-outs - is the writer sneaking in a pitch for ” The Wedding Singer 2″?) and, as this genre now requires, a brigade of quirky sidekicks.

But a problem looms, Barrymore’s New York City newspaper internship is up at the end of summer, and she’s headed back to San Diego. But six weeks later she must return to California to finish her graduate studies. She’s an awesome videogame player, a Stanford journalism student in town for a summer internship. She laughs heartily when Dan blasts Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away” through the wall to set the stage for their tryst. See the 100 best movies of all time.

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