Distance comes up short

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.