Long distance relationships suck; they are emotionally draining and costly… or are they that bad? We are living in an era where ways and means to communicate are increasing everyday.Thanks to Skype, your partner can be with you day and night; only not physically of course; but if/when tensions arise, all one needs to do is switch off the computer and avoid any form of confrontation. Isn’t that wonderful? Going The Distance is Drew Barrymore’s latest romantic comedy. She plays Erin, a 31 year old journalism grad student who is doing an internship at a prestigious newspaper in New York.
One evening, after a bad day at work, she goes to a bar and meets Garrett (Justin Long), a nice guy who never seems to get it right with any of his dates and is developing a dislike for the record label he is working at. (Don’t miss Long’s first scene which is his catastrophic date played by an excellent Leighton Meester from the Gossip Girl series.) Anyway Erin and he bond fast and spend the night together with a musical background (Soundtracks from Top Gun and Ghost: THE iconic ‘80s movies) provided by Garrett’s foul mouthed and yet quite adorable flatmates Dan and Box. But Erin seems to be the direct type and despite a great night she quickly announces to Garrett next morning that she is going to be in New York only for six more weeks before returning to grad school in California. She also tells him that she once dropped out of college because of some guy and does not want to make any such sacrifices again. Both our lovebirds agree that the relationship will be casual and non committal.
No less have they decided this that we just watch some scenes which could have easily been spoofs from the Naked Gun. Erin plays football with Garrett and his buddies, the couple kisses passionately while the two others row, they jump around waves and splash each other. A little too long I would say especially because Drew is supposedly 31 and looks a mature 38 and Justin Long can’t really pass for an overgrown frat boy. But we get the point, their love is getting deeper.
The genuine issues start once the couple begins to live apart and the recipe for disaster which can be long distance relationships, is set off. Erin and Garrett begin to communicate according to their respective time differences which basically makes the entire process of a phone call a very tedious matter for both parties. When one needs to talk, the other one is busy or does not quite get the gravity of the situation. They cannot always be together because of financial issues; long distance is unbelievably difficult as it takes patience, commitment and the will of both to make it work.
One very positive point about Going The Distance is that the film describes accurately without over dramatising the ‘real’ financial situation of a majority of the people today in the USA and probably in the rest of the world. If one is lucky enough to be employed, they most likely cannot make ends meet alone. Erin and Garrett are both working or seeking employment in dying industries.
Record labels unless they are the top ones aren’t doing well and more journalists are let go every day than they are employed. Garrett therefore cannot afford a New York rent alone hence he shares an apartment frat boy style with his two buddies and Erin is staying with her sister and family. The big sister is played by Christina Applegate who is well cast as the loving and smothering sibling who wants to protect Erin from any eventual heartbreak. The characters’ clothing sense and ways to amuse themselves are a lot more credible than in most movies where financial issues never seem to stand in the way of new wardrobes or travel plans. Barrymore looks a reporter and Long though sometimes having the demeanor of an overgrown teenager fits his part very well except for the age factor which was mentioned earlier.
In one scene during Christmas, Long checks out the prices of tickets to San Francisco and they are too high for him. So both open their respective gifts in front of their computers and though a little corny that scene is very sweet as it shows their common effort to make it work. Then there is a great scene of failed phone sex where what comes out is that, that is just not their “thing”, they need each other or not at all. The filming by Nanette Burnstein completely suits the ambiance of the film. I would however question some of the scripting by Geoff LaTulippe. Some scenes are slow, over acted, repetitive and déjà vu and I am quite sure that seasoned film watchers will suddenly wonder where they have already seen this sequence before? But more painful is that at times, the dialogue seems terribly false which is not only annoying but takes away chunks of credibility from the story. Pressure mounts because of the long distance issue, and the sacrifice of one is always needed, it is one or it is none, and to find out the correct answer, you will have to watch the film.
Courtesy - The Sunday Leader - Sumaya Samarasinghe
