Distance comes up short

By Will Randall     9/16/10 7:00pm

I like Drew Barrymore (Whip It). I mostly like Justin Long (Dodgeªball). But their newest collaboration, Going the Distance, felt more like a forced union than an emotionally gratifying rom-com. Their respectable talent was squandered on a lackluster storyline and awkward script. I'm down for a good romantic comedy as much as the next guy. Hell, I'll admit that I actually like romantic comedies, but director Nanette Burstein's (American Teen) first foray into major motion pictures leaves much to be desired. Going the Distance follows the struggles of Erin and Garrett (played by Barrymore and Long, respectively) as their relationship is tested by the distance between them. Their circumstances are really not all that exceptional, and the premise hardly lends itself to a successful romantic comedy. The whole idea behind the movie is that, from opposite coasts, Erin and Garrett try desperately to keep their romance alive. Thus, most scenes rotate through a grab-bag of strange situations: phone calls, text messages, complaining sessions with friends and emotionªally charged reunions.

The worst part about these scenes is, more often than not, no semblance of a plot ties them together. They are delivered one after another in jarring succession, jumping from diners to spray-tan salons to disastrous reunion sex. On the whole, the plot is uninspired and boring, and it begins with a terribly clichéd introduction. We meet Garrett, a 30-something who works for a New York record label and struggles with committing to a relationship. Enter the love interest, Erin, a 31-year-old Stanford University graduate student and summer intern at a fictitious New York paªper. Her life is just a little off track because of a vaguely referenced failed relationship with a musician. Did I mention her favorite movie is The Shawshank Redemption?

From its inception, Going the Distance follows a strict (and predictªable) plot formula. Case in point: I was hardly surprised when a suave Australian colleague conveniently showed up to tempt Erin. Ultimately, this pattern of inanity becomes a tiring exercise. Little satisfaction exists in predicting the story's every turn. It isn't exactly like figuring out The Sixth Sense.

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Perhaps most unfortunately of all, Going the Distance attempts to be "real" and goes a bit too far. Inªstead of feeding us the "aww" moments that our hearts ache for in a good romantic comedy, the film delivers a flat and surface interpretation of reality that falls short of the trendiness it desires. Conversations that in reality only occur in people's heads become date-night discussions. This attempt to be "real" fails so spectacularly because little time is actually spent developing the two main characters. The entirety of them falling in love is reduced to a quick, cheesy montage accompanied by bright pop music. When things got rough in the relationship, I simply was not invested enough in the characters to care.

Similarly disappointing, Barryªmore and Long fail to breathe life into their characters. As a couple, Erin and Garrett completely lack chemistry, undercutting the film's premise. This is altogether strange, as Barrymore and Long were dating at the time of filming, truly an accomplishment for a long-term couple.

There are, however, redeeming moments, mainly coming from the supporting cast. Christina Appleªgate (Anchorman) shines as Erin's neurotic, no-nonsense sister by serving up actual comedic value and a few touching sister moments. When you get past the failed hipster look and terrible moustache of Garrett's best friend Box (Jason Sudeikis of "Saturday Night Live") and the ridiculousness of Garrett's roommate Dan (Charlie Day of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"), the duo provides some quality bro humor while distracting from Long's pitiful pining.

Ultimately, Going the Distance doesn't. Its attempts at genre bending fall flat, resulting in a fully lackluster and awkward experience. Hardly the romantic comedy of your dreams

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