Justin Long and Drew Barrymore rock the silver screen with lovable chemistry in “Going the Distance.” Any viewer compliant with a large, yet appropriate use of profanity will enjoy this.
When 31-year-old print author Erin (Drew Barrymore) takes on a summer internship in New York City, the last thing she is looking for is romance. After being dumped one night, Garrett (Justin Long) heads to a bar with two typical, sarcastic guy friends to relax. Erin and Garrett immediately hit it off and have a fantastic night together.
Due to the fact that Garret just got dumped and Erin is going to California in six weeks, they don’t pursue a commitment. Yet, when Garrett and Erin start to spend more time together and develop a relationship, conflict arises. They decide to keep their connection alive, despite the separation, while Erin goes to school in San Francisco.
Erin’s almost instantaneous use of profanity informs viewers early that she is not your run-of-the-mill romantic comedy character, but instead a down-to-earth, fun-loving woman. Within the first 20 minutes, the couple is seen taking hits from a bong, reinforcing their nonconformity.
Long-distance relationships are exposed and extrapolated with discomfort and unfamiliarity in this against the grain romantic comedy. Not only does the film break down traditional genre boundaries, but it also challenges and pushes every viewer’s comfort zone as if to say, “yeah, we went there.”
The mesmerizing comedy however, comes from relationships between both supporting and main characters.
Garret shares a room with his two best friends Dan (Charlie Day) and Box (Jason Sudeikis). These characters provide a familiar man-to-man relationship of putting each other down while maintaining that classic dry as a bone, yet supportive nature.
Erin and her sister Corinne (Christina Applegate) do not cope with your average sisterly cinematic relationship by a long shot. Their companionship is actually quite reminiscent of most male comedy teams, with excessive use of sarcasm and vulgarity.
“Going the Distance” can be enjoyed by many different audiences, and will definitely be remembered for its comedic style.
Photo credit: New Line Cinema
