Going the Distance (2010 film)
Encyclopedia
Going the Distance is a 2010 romantic comedy film
directed by Nanette Burstein
, and starring Justin Long
and Drew Barrymore
. The movie began filming in New York City
in July 2009, and was released on September 3, 2010.
) is a 31-year-old woman who is having trouble pacing her life. She is still in grad school and she recently got a job as a summer intern at a newspaper in New York. While out with a friend at a bar, she meets Garrett (Justin Long
) who interrupts her game of Centipede. The two then drink together and end up at his place where they smoke from a bong and have sex while Garrett's roommate Dan (Charlie Day
) "DJs their hook up". The next morning, Erin is anxious to leave but Garrett asks her to have breakfast with him and she agrees. She then tells him that she is only in New York for 6 weeks and is not looking for a relationship and he agrees with her stating that he had just got out of one and wants this to be casual.
Erin and Garrett start having a 'casual' fling but it quickly gets deeper for them causing Erin to try to convince her boss to find her a permanent position. Before the end of her internship, she writes an amazing article, which causes her boss to ask her to contact him in January regarding possibly job openings. Meanwhile Garrett, who works at a record label, is given an assignment to manage a band he does not like at all and is starting to dislike his job.
They both continue with their fling; however when the six weeks are up they find it difficult to let go. After Garrett drives Erin to the airport they say goodbye, but just as Erin is about to leave Garrett runs after her and tells her that he is crazy about her and wants to have a long distance relationship with her. She agrees.
Over the next couple of months Erin and Garrett spend all their free time texting and calling one another trying to work out times when one of them can fly in. Garrett surprises Erin by showing up on Thanksgiving and they have a very emotional reunion. When they go to Erin's sister's house (where Erin is currently staying) they start to have passionate sex on the dining table while (unbeknownst to them) Erin's brother-in-law has dinner. Erin's sister eventually walks in and there is an awkward moment. The next day, Erin and Garrett are out to see The Boxer Rebellion
, and they agree that the band is good. Garret gets jealous when he sees that Erin is friends with Damon, a handsome bartender who works with her. Garrett eventually has to leave and goes back to New York.
In January, Erin calls her summer internship boss and asks him about the possibility of a job. He, however, tells her they are not hiring - that in fact they have just laid off 100 employees - which leads to great frustration for Erin. Not finding comfort in a phone conversation with Garrett, she goes and gets drunk with Damon and almost kisses him but ends up going home. Later, her professor mentions that he recommended her for a position at the Chronicle in San Francisco and she goes for an interview. Meanwhile, Garrett is going crazy because he misses Erin. Following the advice of his co-worker he tries to have phone sex with Erin but it does not go well.
A month later as Erin is packing to go to New York she gets a call from the Chronicle letting her know that she is hired. She goes to New York and tells Garrett and the two have a fight. The next day they make up and he asks her to make the decision whether or not to accept the job. A week later he calls her and tells her he wants her to move to New York so that they can live together and start fresh. She agrees and he goes to San Francisco to sort things out. However, after a conversation with Erin's sister, Garrett realizes that he cannot be the reason that Erin turns down the job and the two part ways after an emotional conversation and a long hug in the airport.
Six months later Erin is doing well with her career, having written her first front page story, and Garrett has not been with any women since Erin. He quits his job and starts managing The Boxer Rebellion
, the first band he and Erin saw together. He sends Erin tickets to their show and she goes, without knowing that he is the manager. She runs into him there and he tells her he has moved to Los Angeles. Since that is only a few hours away from San Francisco, they have another chance at a relationship. They go to Erin's sister's house to find Erin's sister and Phil (her husband) "dry humping" on the table (like Garrett and Erin earlier in the film). The film ends when Erin's little niece, Maya, comes downstairs during the awkward moment, while they all scream "Maya! Statue!" (a running joke where Erin's sister kept yelling "Maya! Statue!" at her kid to make her stop moving erratically.)
Three additional songs can be accessed through a link on the CD and on the digital deluxe version:
weekend not only allows us to take advantage of the long holiday weekend, but gives us some distance from the other female-driven films releasing in August."
Rotten Tomatoes
based on 110 reviews with an average rating of 5.5/10. Its consensus states that "It's timelier and a little more honest than most romantic comedies, but Drew Barrymore and Justin Long's screen chemistry doesn't make up for Going the Distances overall flatness." Another review aggregator, Metacritic
, calculated a "mixed to average" score of 50 based on 30 reviews.
, Machete
, Takers
, and The American
.
Romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy films are films with light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as that true love is able to surmount most obstacles. One dictionary definition is "a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily"...
directed by Nanette Burstein
Nanette Burstein
Nanette Burstein is an American film and television director. Burstein has produced, directed, and co-directed many documentaries which have won her many awards and nominations, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary and the Sundance Special Jury Prize for Documentary.-Life and...
, and starring Justin Long
Justin Long
Justin Jacob Long is an American film and television actor. He is best known for his roles in the Hollywood films Galaxy Quest, Jeepers Creepers, Dodgeball, Live Free or Die Hard, He's Just Not That into You, Drag Me to Hell, and Youth in Revolt, and his personification of a Mac in Apple's "Get a...
and Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore
Drew Blyth Barrymore is an American actress, film director, screenwriter, producer and model. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore. She first appeared in an advertisement when she was 11 months old. Barrymore made her film debut in Altered...
. The movie began filming in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in July 2009, and was released on September 3, 2010.
Plot
Erin (Drew BarrymoreDrew Barrymore
Drew Blyth Barrymore is an American actress, film director, screenwriter, producer and model. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore. She first appeared in an advertisement when she was 11 months old. Barrymore made her film debut in Altered...
) is a 31-year-old woman who is having trouble pacing her life. She is still in grad school and she recently got a job as a summer intern at a newspaper in New York. While out with a friend at a bar, she meets Garrett (Justin Long
Justin Long
Justin Jacob Long is an American film and television actor. He is best known for his roles in the Hollywood films Galaxy Quest, Jeepers Creepers, Dodgeball, Live Free or Die Hard, He's Just Not That into You, Drag Me to Hell, and Youth in Revolt, and his personification of a Mac in Apple's "Get a...
) who interrupts her game of Centipede. The two then drink together and end up at his place where they smoke from a bong and have sex while Garrett's roommate Dan (Charlie Day
Charlie Day
Charles Peckham "Charlie" Day is an American television and film actor, from Middletown, Rhode Island, best known for playing Charlie Kelly on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia".-Early life:...
) "DJs their hook up". The next morning, Erin is anxious to leave but Garrett asks her to have breakfast with him and she agrees. She then tells him that she is only in New York for 6 weeks and is not looking for a relationship and he agrees with her stating that he had just got out of one and wants this to be casual.
Erin and Garrett start having a 'casual' fling but it quickly gets deeper for them causing Erin to try to convince her boss to find her a permanent position. Before the end of her internship, she writes an amazing article, which causes her boss to ask her to contact him in January regarding possibly job openings. Meanwhile Garrett, who works at a record label, is given an assignment to manage a band he does not like at all and is starting to dislike his job.
They both continue with their fling; however when the six weeks are up they find it difficult to let go. After Garrett drives Erin to the airport they say goodbye, but just as Erin is about to leave Garrett runs after her and tells her that he is crazy about her and wants to have a long distance relationship with her. She agrees.
Over the next couple of months Erin and Garrett spend all their free time texting and calling one another trying to work out times when one of them can fly in. Garrett surprises Erin by showing up on Thanksgiving and they have a very emotional reunion. When they go to Erin's sister's house (where Erin is currently staying) they start to have passionate sex on the dining table while (unbeknownst to them) Erin's brother-in-law has dinner. Erin's sister eventually walks in and there is an awkward moment. The next day, Erin and Garrett are out to see The Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion (band)
The Boxer Rebellion is an international indie band formed in London, United Kingdom around 2001, consisting of Tennessee-native Nathan Nicholson , Australian Todd Howe , and Englishmen Adam Harrison , and Piers Hewitt...
, and they agree that the band is good. Garret gets jealous when he sees that Erin is friends with Damon, a handsome bartender who works with her. Garrett eventually has to leave and goes back to New York.
In January, Erin calls her summer internship boss and asks him about the possibility of a job. He, however, tells her they are not hiring - that in fact they have just laid off 100 employees - which leads to great frustration for Erin. Not finding comfort in a phone conversation with Garrett, she goes and gets drunk with Damon and almost kisses him but ends up going home. Later, her professor mentions that he recommended her for a position at the Chronicle in San Francisco and she goes for an interview. Meanwhile, Garrett is going crazy because he misses Erin. Following the advice of his co-worker he tries to have phone sex with Erin but it does not go well.
A month later as Erin is packing to go to New York she gets a call from the Chronicle letting her know that she is hired. She goes to New York and tells Garrett and the two have a fight. The next day they make up and he asks her to make the decision whether or not to accept the job. A week later he calls her and tells her he wants her to move to New York so that they can live together and start fresh. She agrees and he goes to San Francisco to sort things out. However, after a conversation with Erin's sister, Garrett realizes that he cannot be the reason that Erin turns down the job and the two part ways after an emotional conversation and a long hug in the airport.
Six months later Erin is doing well with her career, having written her first front page story, and Garrett has not been with any women since Erin. He quits his job and starts managing The Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion (band)
The Boxer Rebellion is an international indie band formed in London, United Kingdom around 2001, consisting of Tennessee-native Nathan Nicholson , Australian Todd Howe , and Englishmen Adam Harrison , and Piers Hewitt...
, the first band he and Erin saw together. He sends Erin tickets to their show and she goes, without knowing that he is the manager. She runs into him there and he tells her he has moved to Los Angeles. Since that is only a few hours away from San Francisco, they have another chance at a relationship. They go to Erin's sister's house to find Erin's sister and Phil (her husband) "dry humping" on the table (like Garrett and Erin earlier in the film). The film ends when Erin's little niece, Maya, comes downstairs during the awkward moment, while they all scream "Maya! Statue!" (a running joke where Erin's sister kept yelling "Maya! Statue!" at her kid to make her stop moving erratically.)
Cast
- Drew BarrymoreDrew BarrymoreDrew Blyth Barrymore is an American actress, film director, screenwriter, producer and model. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore. She first appeared in an advertisement when she was 11 months old. Barrymore made her film debut in Altered...
as Erin - Justin LongJustin LongJustin Jacob Long is an American film and television actor. He is best known for his roles in the Hollywood films Galaxy Quest, Jeepers Creepers, Dodgeball, Live Free or Die Hard, He's Just Not That into You, Drag Me to Hell, and Youth in Revolt, and his personification of a Mac in Apple's "Get a...
as Garrett - Charlie DayCharlie DayCharles Peckham "Charlie" Day is an American television and film actor, from Middletown, Rhode Island, best known for playing Charlie Kelly on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia".-Early life:...
as Dan - Jason SudeikisJason SudeikisDaniel Jason Sudeikis is an American actor and comedian currently starring as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:Sudeikis was born Daniel Jason Sudeikis in Fairfax, Virginia, the son of Kathryn , a travel agent who was president of the American Society of Travel Agents, and Dan...
as Box - Christina ApplegateChristina ApplegateChristina Applegate is an American actress. She is best known for playing Kelly Bundy on the Fox sitcom Married... with Children. Since then, she has established a film and television career, winning a Primetime Emmy and earning Tony and Golden Globe nominations...
as Corrine, Erin's sister. - Kelli GarnerKelli GarnerKelli Brianne Garner is an American actress. Her credits include Man of the House, The Aviator, Bully and Thumbsucker. She appeared in two Green Day music videos "Jesus of Suburbia" and the unreleased ""...
as Brianna - Natalie MoralesNatalie Morales (actress)Natalie Morales is an American actress of Cuban descent.Growing up, she attended St. Agatha Catholic School before going to Southwest High School, and participated in the University of Miami Dow Jones Minority High School Journalism Workshop...
as Brandy - June Diane RaphaelJune Diane RaphaelJune Diane Raphael is an American actress, comedienne and screenwriter known for appearing in films such as Year One and Going the Distance...
as Karen - Ron LivingstonRon LivingstonRonald Joseph "Ron" Livingston is an American film and television actor. His roles include a disaffected corporate employee in the film Office Space, a sardonic writer in a short-term relationship with Carrie Bradshaw in the TV show Sex and the City, and Captain Lewis Nixon in the miniseries...
as Will - Rob RiggleRob RiggleRobert Allen "Rob" Riggle, Jr. is an American actor, comedian and United States Marine Corps officer. He is best known for his work as a correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show from 2006–2008, as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2004–2005, and for his comedic roles in films such...
as Ron - Leighton MeesterLeighton MeesterLeighton Marissa Meester is an American actress and singer. Meester first garnered attention for playing Blair Waldorf in the CW television series Gossip Girl...
as Amy
- Kristen SchaalKristen SchaalKristen Schaal is an American actress, writer and comedienne, best known for her role as Mel in the HBO series Flight of the Conchords, as Louise in Bob's Burgers and as a contributor on The Daily Show.-Early life:...
as Female Bartender - Jim GaffiganJim GaffiganJames Christopher "Jim" Gaffigan is an American stand-up comedian and actor.-Early life:Gaffigan was born in Chesterton, Indiana and attended La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana. He is the youngest of six children and often jokes about growing up in a large family. He attended one year at...
as Phil, Corrine's husband. - Sarah BurnsSarah Burns (actress)Sarah Burns is an American film and television actress; she is also a comedian.-Life and career:She was born on Long Island, New York, Nassau County....
as Harper - Matt ServittoMatt ServittoMatt Servitto is an American actor, probably best known for his role on The Sopranos as FBI agent Dwight Harris. He also appeared on all 3 seasons of the Peabody Award-winning series Brotherhood as Rep. Donatello and had a guest appearance on Sex and the City as Carrie Bradshaw's editor...
as Hugh - Maria Di Angelis as Receptionist.
- Meredith HagnerMeredith HagnerMeredith Hagner is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for originating the role of Liberty Ciccone in the CBS daytime drama As the World Turns from 2008–2010.-Early life:...
as Tanning salon employee. - Oliver Jackson CohenOliver Jackson CohenOliver Jackson-Cohen is an English actor. His had a role in the television series Hollyoaks, and he later appeared in the ITV series The Time of Your Life in 2007...
as Damon - Mick HazenMick HazenMick Hazen is an American actor. He starred on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns as Parker Snyder, the son of the late Hal Munson and Carly Tenney and the adoptive son of Jack Snyder...
as Zeff - Mike BirbigliaMike Birbiglia-Professional work:Birbiglia has released three albums, including My Secret Public Journal Live, which was named one of the best comedy albums of the decade by the Onion AV Club....
as Waiter
Company Information
- New Line CinemaNew Line CinemaNew Line Cinema, often simply referred to as New Line, is an American film studio. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne as a film distributor, later becoming an independent film studio. It became a subsidiary of Time Warner in 1996 and was merged with larger sister studio Warner...
- Studio - Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution - Domestic Theatrical Distributor
- New Line CinemaNew Line CinemaNew Line Cinema, often simply referred to as New Line, is an American film studio. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne as a film distributor, later becoming an independent film studio. It became a subsidiary of Time Warner in 1996 and was merged with larger sister studio Warner...
- Domestic Theatrical Distributor
Soundtrack
- Generationals - "Either Way"
- Georgie JamesGeorgie JamesGeorgie James was an indie pop/rock group from Washington D.C. composed of John Davis and Laura Burhenn.When Q and Not U called it quits in 2005 after releasing three albums, the band split into three different projects: Ris Paul Ric, a folk/electronic solo effort from Chris Richards; Harris Klahr...
- "Places" - Katie HerzigKatie HerzigKatie Herzig is a Grammy award nominated singer-songwriter from Fort Collins, Colorado.-Early life:Katie Herzig was born in California to a musical family. When she was a year old her family moved to Fort Collins, Colorado where she attended Rocky Mountain High School...
- "Hey Na Na" - Albert Hammond, Jr. - "In Transit"
- The CureThe CureThe Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
- "Just Like Heaven" - The PretendersThe PretendersThe Pretenders are an English rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde , James Honeyman-Scott , Pete Farndon , and Martin Chambers...
- "Don't Get Me Wrong" - The Boxer RebellionThe Boxer Rebellion (band)The Boxer Rebellion is an international indie band formed in London, United Kingdom around 2001, consisting of Tennessee-native Nathan Nicholson , Australian Todd Howe , and Englishmen Adam Harrison , and Piers Hewitt...
- "Spitting Fire" - Cat PowerCat PowerCharlyn Marie Marshall , also known as Chan Marshall or by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer/songwriter and occasional actress and model. Cat Power was originally the name of Marshall's first band, but has come to refer to her musical projects with various backing bands...
- "Could We" - Band Of SkullsBand of SkullsBand of Skulls is an alternative rock band from Southampton, England, consisting of Russell Marsden , Emma Richardson , and Matt Hayward...
- "Cold Fame" - EelsEels (band)Eels is an American indie rock band formed by singer/songwriter Mark Oliver Everett, better known as E...
- "Prizefighter" - Passion PitPassion PitPassion Pit is an American electropop band from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The group, which formed in 2007, consists of Michael Angelakos , Ian Hultquist , Ayad Al Adhamy , Jeff Apruzzese and Nate Donmoyer...
- "The Reeling" (Groove Police Remix) - FanfarloFanfarloFanfarlo are a London-based indie pop band formed in 2006 by Swedish musician Simon Balthazar, and Giles J Davis...
- "Harold T. Wilkins, Or How To Wait For A Very Long Time" - The Replacements - "Here Comes A Regular"
- The Boxer RebellionThe Boxer Rebellion (band)The Boxer Rebellion is an international indie band formed in London, United Kingdom around 2001, consisting of Tennessee-native Nathan Nicholson , Australian Todd Howe , and Englishmen Adam Harrison , and Piers Hewitt...
- "If You Run" - GotyeGotyeWouter "Wally" De Backer , also known professionally by his stage name Gotye , is a Belgian-Australian multi-instrumental musician and singer-songwriter. He has released three studio albums independently and one remix album featuring remixes of tracks from his first two albums...
- "Learnalilgivinanlovin" - The Airborne Toxic EventThe Airborne Toxic EventThe Airborne Toxic Event is an American indie rock band from Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. It consists of Mikel Jollett , Steven Chen , Noah Harmon , Daren Taylor and Anna Bulbrook...
- "Half Of Something Else"
Three additional songs can be accessed through a link on the CD and on the digital deluxe version:
- The Boxer RebellionThe Boxer Rebellion (band)The Boxer Rebellion is an international indie band formed in London, United Kingdom around 2001, consisting of Tennessee-native Nathan Nicholson , Australian Todd Howe , and Englishmen Adam Harrison , and Piers Hewitt...
- "Evacuate" - Joe PurdyJoe PurdyJoe Purdy is an American folk singer-songwriter who has recorded and released ten albums in eight years.- The band :Joe Purdy's band members have included: Chris Seefried, Brian Wright, Willy C. Golden, , and .- Career :...
- "Miss Me" - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic ZerosEdward Sharpe and the Magnetic ZerosEdward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros is an American band led by Alex Ebert, vocalist of the power pop group Ima Robot. Their first full-length recording, Up from Below, was released July 7, 2009, digitally and July 14, 2009, physically on Community Records...
- "40 Day Dream"
Release
The film's release date was moved from August 27 to September 3. Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. Pictures President of Domestic Distribution said "Moving to the Labor DayLabor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
weekend not only allows us to take advantage of the long holiday weekend, but gives us some distance from the other female-driven films releasing in August."
Critical reaction
Reviews for Going the Distance have been mixed, with the film garnering a 51% rating on review aggregatorReview aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services . This system stores the reviews and then uses them for purposes such as: creating a website for users to view the reviews, selling information to third parties about consumer tendencies and creating databases for...
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
based on 110 reviews with an average rating of 5.5/10. Its consensus states that "It's timelier and a little more honest than most romantic comedies, but Drew Barrymore and Justin Long's screen chemistry doesn't make up for Going the Distances overall flatness." Another review aggregator, Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, calculated a "mixed to average" score of 50 based on 30 reviews.
Box office
The film grossed $6.9 million opening #5 behind The Last ExorcismThe Last Exorcism
The Last Exorcism is a 2010 American found footage horror film directed and edited by Daniel Stamm. It stars Patrick Fabian, Ashley Bell, Iris Bahr, and Louis Herthum....
, Machete
Machete (film)
Machete is a 2010 action film directed by Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis. The "Machete" character originates from the 2001 Spy Kids film, written and directed by Robert Rodriguez. This film is an expansion of a fake trailer that was released together with Rodriguez's and Quentin Tarantino's...
, Takers
Takers
Takers is a 2010 crime film directed by John Luessenhop from a story and screenplay written by Luessenhop, Gabriel Casseus, Peter Allen, John Rogers, and Avery Duff. It features an ensemble cast that includes Matt Dillon, Chris Brown, Idris Elba, T.I., Jay Hernandez, Paul Walker, Hayden...
, and The American
The American (2010 film)
The American is a 2010 American thriller film directed by Anton Corbijn and starring George Clooney, Thekla Reuten, Violante Placido, Irina Björklund, and Paolo Bonacelli. It is an adaptation of the 1990 novel A Very Private Gentleman by Martin Booth...
.