There’s a ridiculous moment in nearly every modern romantic comedy, where perhaps the makers are trying to make their movie seem like a great romantic comedy of old. The relationship has gone past a turning point, and one half of the couple (usually the woman) is about to leave for a new life somewhere else– be it boat, train or plane. The man realizes how he feels and what he has to do and goes off on a mad chase to stop her. It’s an old-fashioned declaration of love that saves the relationship. Never mind that this isn’t the 1940s and if he got to the airport after she leaves, he can phone or e-mail or text or skype. It’s not like she’s going to Mars.
Going the Distance gets that moment out of the way and then deals with modern reality. Erin and Garrett (real life on-and-off-again couple Drew Barrymore and Justin Long) hook up and have a whirlwind six week romance, just before her temporary job in New York City is about to end and she has to go back home to San Francisco. Garrett drops her off at the airport and then has his ridiculous romantic comedy moment and chases her into the terminal. Then and there, they decide to try a long distance relationship.
Everyone will tell you a long distance relationship never works, but it can be said that this movie about a long distance relationship does work. Mainly, that’s because Barrymore and Long are just plain cute together. Erin and Garrett seem to be genuinely nice people who are just trying real hard to make it work, so you can’t help but root for them to figure this thing out. Barrymore is a rom-com veteran, so it’s not a surprise she pulls it off. Long is the surprise, as he’s not necessarily the pin-up type you imagine as a romantic lead. His best pairing to date has been with the guy playing the PC in the PC/Mac ads for Apple (although he was pretty good as one of the ensemble of He’s Just Not That Into You).
Before the ridiculous chase, every romantic comedy has to have the supporting cast of wacky best friends. Jason Sudeikis (Saturday Night Live) and Charlie Day (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) put their own spins on the typical devil’s advocates in Garrett’s love life. (Particularly funny: the reason for Sudeikis’ moustache and Day’s skills as a DJ). On the female side, the always charming and cute Christina Applegate could have played the lead herself, but she does a great job as Erin’s anal retentive and concerned sister.
A warning through all this pleasantness: you’ll like these characters, but you’ll get frustrated at them if you really stop to think. The technology that keeps Erinand Garrett’s relationship going is also responsible for killing each of their careers. Erinwants to be a newspaper reporter but can’t find a job anywhere (Why don’t you blog?” asks one editor). Garrett is a an A&R man for a record company, but good music doesn’t sell anymore and he has to represent Jonas Brothers-type whose audience is teeny boppers at their computers. She can’t find a job; he hates his – why can’t one of them move? Each is at a crossroads, and the movie never really establishes strong hometown roots.
Oh, but it’s a story about love, and love isn’t supposed to be logical. You could wait and watch it with modern technology on your laptop or your iPhone or via NetFlix on your Wii, but you won’t be disappointed if you go the distance to the theater.
