Continental Divide

Shakespeare rightly noted: “The course of true love never did run smooth.”

This is particularly true of the love found in romance fiction where the genre convention is to introduce two potential lovers with enormous chemistry and desire then place as many obstacles between them as possible.

Obstacles to love are too numerous to name, but they’re dwindling. No longer are class, race, sex credible impediments. Part of the reason “Notting Hill” works so well is that fame as a hindrance in our celebrity-obsessed culture is so believable. And with “Going the Distance” we have another. The world is shrinking to be sure, but not enough to solve the enormous issues of a bicoastal relationship.

Drew Barrymore and Justin Long star in this romantic comedy about a long-distance romance that may be worth fighting for. Garrett (Long) is still nursing the wounds from a recent breakup when he meets Erin (Barrymore), an unflinchingly honest girl with a big talent for bar trivia. Hitting it off immediately, the pair spend a romantic summer together in New York City. It was supposed to be a summer fling, but as fall approaches and Erin returns to San Francisco, the spark is still there. Subsequently dividing his days between working and hitting the bars with best friends Box (Jason Sudeikis) and Dan (Charlie Day), Garrett drops everything whenever Erin calls. The more Garrett's phone rings, the more his pals begin to suspect that their drinking buddy is taking the relationship a little too seriously. And they're not the only ones; Erin's sister, Corrine (Christina Applegate), is keen to ensure that her smitten sibling doesn't repeat the mistakes of her past, and she makes no attempts to sugarcoat the fact that she disapproves of the coast-to-coast romance. But the heart wants what the heart wants, and as the texting becomes more intense, both Garrett and Erin start to suspect that their summer fling may just be the real thing.

“Going the Distance” is a stellar romantic comedy—genuine and genuinely funny. Its honest, real, credible look at the issues of long distance dating never feel false or forced. The film never over reaches in the way so many do, never gives us unearned emotion or over-the-top melodramatic plot twists. It’s a comedy about adults for adults with mature, often sexual, humor that rises organically out of who the characters are, their relationship, and the situation they find themselves in.

Barrymore is, as usual, adorable, and she and Long make a sweet, convincing couple in a relationship worth working out. Speaking of working . . . the chosen professions of the couple (print journalist and music promoter) not only provide authentic challenges and obstacles, but reflect the upheaval both industries are experiencing right now.

“Going the Distance” works so well, is so good, that it is easily the most fun, enjoyable experience I’ve had in a movie theater in a very long time, and I can already hear the film knocking on the door of my top ten romcom list. It’s the kind of romantic comedy you can give yourself over to and not regret the morning after.