GOING THE DISTANCE

RYAN: I’m happy to see Drew Barrymore acting vs. directing in her new romantic comedy, Going the Distance, which co-stars her real-life boyfriend, Justin Long.

CAROLINE: Are they dating these days? They’re so on-again, off-again.

RYAN: Yes, I have it confirmed from a good source – they’re on again.

CAROLINE: I think they were on again during filming too, and their chemistry definitely translates to the big screen. They’re so cute together, and I totally bought them as a couple. Even though he’s not really that cute.

RYAN: They’re very giggly together and their comic timing is great. You even see a lot more tongue than you usually do in movie make out scenes. I had high expectations for their onscreen chemistry since they are a real couple, and let’s just say their partnership works a lot better than Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise.

CAROLINE: I was a little disappointed early on in the film because I like my leading men more handsome; but Justin Long totally won me over. There’s something very appealing about his sweet, goofy, nice guy act. He had it in He’s Just Not That Into You too, and it works for him.

RYAN: I was happy about the British man candy in the form of Drew’s co-worker, so it didn’t bother me that Justin isn’t that hot.

CAROLINE: That guy was very hot, yes, but barely in the movie. Jason Sudeikis from SNL plays Justin’s BFF along with another guy who I found very annoying and unfunny. He was trying way too hard.

RYAN: Christina Applegate plays Drew’s sister, and I love her. She’s always so funny. They’re real-life friends too, so I’m sure they had a blast making the movie.

CAROLINE: Drew Barrymore looks great in this. Her hair color is perfect and she looks really pretty throughout while still looking like a regular girl. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to like this movie that much, but I enjoyed it. For starters, it’s rated R, which is great because there’s profanity and sex jokes and the characters talk the way people do in real life. None of that sanitized PG-13 crap. I laughed out loud several times and even got misty in one scene.

RYAN: It’s kind of like a chick flick with a guy’s sensibility. It offers up the male point of view several times. It’s a great date movie.

CAROLINE: It’s certainly not the best rom com we’ve seen lately – some of the casting was off, and a few of the laughs felt a little forced. But I was overall pleasantly surprised.

RYAN: It definitely dragged toward the end a little bit. There was a part where I was like, “Where is this movie going?” I think they could have shaved off ten minutes. Luckily, the ending was very cute.

CAROLINE: Yeah, the ending made it totally worthwhile. It’s a really relatable movie too, which I liked. I haven’t been in a long-distance relationship since college, but I remember how painful and awkward it can be, and I think this movie captured the struggles very realistically.

RYAN: It also has the token catchphrase at the end of the movie that every rom com has tried to have since Jerry Maguire‘s “You had me at hello.”

— BOTTOM LINE —

CAROLINE: Is it the best romantic comedy I’ve ever seen? No. But I liked its sweetness and humor. Drew Barrymore basically plays herself, but she does it well. I liked Justin Long’s sincerity; he almost made me shed a tear. And I also laughed, so I think this makes an enjoyable night at the movies. And guys won’t hate it either. It’s not your typical sappy chick flick.

RYAN: It’s a better-than-average romantic comedy that is actually both romantic and funny. I love that it stars a real-life Hollywood couple because it makes me feel like I’m seeing into their real relationship. I recommend it.

— RATING —