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AccessReel Review – Going the Distance

AccessReel Review – Going the Distance

‘Erin’s wry wit and unfiltered frankness charm newly single Garrett over beer, bar trivia and breakfast the next morning. Their chemistry sparks a full-fledged summer fling, but neither expects it to last once Erin heads home to San Francisco and Garrett stays behind for his job in New York City. But when six weeks of romping through the city inadvertently become meaningful, neither is sure they want it to end. But despite the opposite coasts, the nay-saying friends and family, and a few unexpected temptations, the couple just might have found something like love, and with the help of a lot of texting, sexting and late-night phone calls, they might actually go the distance.’

I took my Grandmother to see ‘Going the Distance’, and my advice to you all is – don’t take a Grandparent to see this movie. I walked into the cinema expecting to see another Hollywood rom-com, and was pleasantly surprised to find that the movie was a little different. It is a romance, by modern standards, and it is a comedy, in a blatantly sexual and crass way. The fast paced film defies the rom-com conventions and offers a fresh perspective on the dating scene, paying particular attention to the difficulties of being in a long distance relationship.

Career-focused-Erin (Drew Barrymore) and freshly-dumped-Garrett (Justin Long) aren’t actively looking for love, and are surprised when what was meant to be a one night stand, turns out to be a six week summer romance. Erin had previously made the mistake of putting her ambitions aside to follow her ex boyfriend’s dreams, and isn’t prepared to make the same mistake with Garrett. However, she also isn’t prepared to make the mistake of pushing aside, and ignoring her genuine feelings for Garrett. She has to return to San Francisco, Garrett can’t leave his job in New York, so what are their options?

They choose to trial a long-distance relationship, aware that they don’t generally have the best success rate. The storyline sounds kind of predictable, but is astonishingly not. There are plenty of laughs, and a little bit of tension, as we watch the unconventional relationship unfold. I liked that the situations the characters are put in are realistic, relatable. It is a modern movie, covering our society’s obsession with texting and using our mobile phone, and chatting on the internet. The dialogue is ultra snappy, with a lot of modern slang thrown in. My generation seems to be de-sensitized to swearing, so I didn’t really notice it. My Grandmother however… well, she thought it was a trifle overdone, and unnecessary. There were also a few cringe-worthy moments that I was not expecting – mutual masturbation anyone? Let’s just say that the film is not suited for the prudish!

On-again-off-again-couple Drew Barrymore and Justin Long have undeniable chemistry… I wonder if they even had to act during the movie, or whether they were simply playing themselves. The movie had a few seriously cheesy, almost gag-worthy montages, but they can be forgiven, because the rest of the movie is decent. Christina Applegate plays the part of Erin’s slightly neurotic and over-protective sister, and is fantastic. Love, love, love her. The movie was fun, I enjoyed it. I give it three and a half out of five stars.

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