5 Reasons to See 'Going the Distance' This Weekend

Warner Brothers

I'll admit it: I went into Going the Distance with low expectations. Between Leap Year, Valentine's Day, The Back-Up Plan and The Switch, 2010 hasn't exactly been filled with stellar romantic comedies. The movies in this genre tend to be clichéd, predictable and unrealistic. And yes, Going the Distance was a little bit clichéd and a little bit predictable, but it was also really funny, really sweet and really realistic. Here are five reasons why you should make seeing Going the Distance on your to-do list for this weekend:

1. Drew Barrymore. Barrymore is a guys' girl and a girls' girl -- she's cute, quirky, hip and funny -- making this movie appealing to both sexes. She plays the role of Erin, a 31-year-old woman who finds herself in a long-distance relationship with Garrett (played by Barrymore's on-again off-again boyfriend Justin Long). After watching the movie, there's no one else who could've been so perfectly cast in the role.

2. It's Realistic. Anyone who's been in a long-distance relationship will agree with Going the Distance's realistic portrayal of its challenges. Whether it's the time difference (Erin is in California while Garrett is in New York), the jealousy (Erin works with a really hot Australian guy) or the sexual frustration (I'll let those scenes speak for themselves), this movie doesn't sugarcoat these factors, and better yet, it doesn't portray them as worse than they are either.

3. It's Not Cheesy. Erin and her sister Corinne (Christina Applegate) have some pretty no-holds-barred conversations, but what sisters don't? Yes, it can get a bit graphic (this movie is not for kids), but it adds to the realism. Of course, the guys in this movie aren't exempt from this either: Garrett's two friends Dan and Box (Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis) engage in the kind of banter that you'd overhear from any guys who are hanging out at a bar. Sure, Day does fill the role of the Zach Galifianakis-type character with the one-liners, but it doesn't cross the line of annoying.

4. The Chemistry. It probably helps that Barrymore and Long are together offscreen, because their chemistry in this movie is palpable and, more importantly, they're actually likable together. And if you've never considered Long attractive before, your mind will most likely change after this movie. These two can go from cute to super-steamy in a matter of seconds.

5. The Ending. Without giving anything away, I was pleasantly surprised by the ending of Going the Distance. Despite the fact that some aspects of the movie were predictable, it didn't wrap up like 99 percent of rom-coms do. I admit it was a bit unsatisfying, but that also could be because I just wanted to find out what happens next. And that's a feat in itself: How often are you in a movie theater and instead of thinking about when you can run to the bathroom, you are hoping it doesn't end?