Going The Distance

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Sep 072010
 

As the resident Rom Com reviewer here at The Breach, I have actually not seen a lot from the genre as of late. ¬†I recently checked out She’s Out of My League and thought it was better than average. ¬†But with Netflix having yet to send me Leap Year or When In Rome, my love of the predictably delightful chick flicks has not been satiated. ¬†Enter Going The Distance, a film that pairs Drew Barrymore with the much younger Justin Long for a long distance romance. ¬†I went in with high expectations given my love for the last big Barrymore romantic vehicle, Music and Lyrics, plus my man crush on Long. ¬†I was hoping for laughs and, given the R rating, some inappropriate humor. ¬†Read on to learn whether both goals were achieved.

I threw out what would be considered the pitch for this film in my opening but let me clear up things plot-wise for you- Garrett is a dude living in New York City.  He has a couple of goofy friends (played by Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis) and works for a record company with an identity crisis.  Erin is a chick interning for a newspaper in New York City.  She plans to move back to California when she finishes so she can finish up school at Stanford.  Through a rather asshole move by Garrett involving a Centipede arcade unit, the two are thrust together and quickly fall in love.  Of course things are rocky given that Erin will leave NYC in six weeks but they make the most of it.  Then they start missing each other.  Like, a lot.

So while not the most innovating plot for a romance, it is perfectly serviceable. ¬†Most of these romantic comedies spend the film trying to find something that keeps the two leads apart whereas this film forcibly separates them at about minute 15. ¬†That little change on the formula I enjoyed because instead of something stupid like “he didn’t make dinner for her birthday” we get to see how isolating two love birds creates difficulties in a relationship. ¬†There is also a scene I appreciated where each character is with their respective entourage asking for council; Erin with her sister and Garrett with his goofy buddies. ¬†In otherwise stable relationships, friends can involuntarily inject skepticism and paranoia no matter the scope of a situation. ¬†I do not want to spoil anything, but I felt this was handled in a realistic manner and stuck with me.

Speaking of the goofy friends, Charlie Day steals every scene he enters. ¬†I am usually not one for skipping seasons of television shows (something I am guilty of with It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia). ¬†But after seeing Day’s performance here, I am forced to set a Season Pass on the Tivo to check it out. ¬†He is not just the goofy dude rolled out to get laughs from the audience either. ¬†He has what is arguably the most touching moment in the film and handles the execution in a way that is realistic and appropriate given the circumstances. ¬†I say this with all sincerity- I recommend you see this movie, in the theater or via Netflix afterwards, for Day alone.

I mentioned the film is R rated and boy howdy is it ever R rated. ¬†Though a considerable lack of nudity (save for Long’s backside) and not a shred of violence, the script for this film must have read like a sailor’s diary. ¬†Besides the relentless “fuck” word being thrown about, a lot of the dialog is just dirty. ¬†Mind you, I am not complaining but I was just taken aback. ¬†The demographic for this type of film is typically PG-13 or less so I am a little confused as to who this movie was made for (guys like me). ¬†That said, the filthy language was welcomed but I wouldn’t show this film to your mom. ¬†I asked her, and she did not want to see it so no worries.

So did I like it? ¬†I already mentioned that Day’s performance is worth the price of admission but beyond that, this is just a run of the mill rom-com peppered with “fuck” and dirty talk. ¬†There were a few moments that got my heart to go “pitter patter” (yes, I really like romantic comedies) but a lot of that was ruined by a needlessly tacked on joke just before the credits rolled. ¬†In an effort to not spoil anything, the movie basically ends and then we are presented with a sequence that calls back to two jokes from earlier in the film- one memorable and the other not so much. ¬†I think the movie needed something after the climax but this just left a blemish on an otherwise better than average flick. ¬†Even still, I feel that the realistic portrayal of a long distance relationship and the challenges between Erin and Garrett are worth your time. ¬†Besides, you could be stuck seeing Eat, Pray, Love, which even I don’t have the overly schmaltzy-defense fortification to endure. ¬†See the movie with your significant other and come back to comment with your thoughts.

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  • James

    It’s great knowing Charlie Day brought his A game. I love the shit out of that dude on Sunny and I was really hoping he made an impression here too.

    Your reaction to this is pretty much where I thought the film would wind up and since you’re the resident “Rom Commie”, I know I can trust your opinion here. Good write up, home boy.

    • http://www.mediabreach.com Dustin

      Thanks, dude. Charlie rocked it, man. I can’t wait to see him in more stuff.

  • http://www.mediabreach.com Adam

    Still not enough here to get me to check it out, but that’s mainly due to my hatred of Barrymore. Charlie Day is a funny motherfucker though, so I suppose I’ll just wait until the blu-ray hits and check it out.

    I give you shit about the rom coms even though I’m a sucker for a fair amount of them as well. I watch them alone. Always.

   
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