Going the Distance

A six-week romantic fling in New York between Erin,a journalism student,and Garrett,a junior executive at a record company,has the inevitable consequences when Erin must return to San Francisco to pursue her studies: They are both shocked to find that they have fallen in love. The long-distance relationship takes its toll. Garretts friends joke about his pre-flight calorie-cutting and his full-time relationship with his cellphone. They dont like losing their best drinking buddy to yet another rocky romance. At the same time,Erins high-strung,overprotective married sister,Corrine,wants to keep Erin from heading down an all-too-familiar road. But despite the opposite coasts and the discouraging 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 and late-night phone calls. Neither one can find full-time employment in the others city.

Its hard to imagine any romantic comedy going wrong in so many different ways. Drew Barrymore,a fine actress,and Nanette Burstein,an above-average filmmaker,must have ambivalent feelings about this awkward and frequently irritating film. Geoff LaTulippes debut screenplay flips traditional rom-com conventions as it tells the story of lovers trying to make their budding affair work from opposite coasts. All the conflicts and characters in the film are contrived: the forced awkwardness Garrett experiences when meeting Erins family; her sisters extreme dislike of Garrett; his phony jealousy over Erins handsome co-worker; and his two best friends you wouldnt wish on your worst enemy.

Drew Barrymore and Justin Long must be credited for raising the bar on the script with their exacting performances 8211; sometimes cute and funny,sometimes intense.

Going The Distance lacks in finesse and abounds in explicit sexuality and profane language. It is a huge disappointment.

RATING: One for Drew Barrymore and Justin Longs performances. One for direction and editing.