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 In cinemas Thursday [M]
Director: Nanette Burstein
Runtime: 102 mins.
Public Service Announcement: The American Association of Really Crap Trailers does not want you to see this movie. But to be honest, it’s a fine thing trailers these days do such an awful job of promoting movies and giving no real clue as to the actual feel of the thing. It makes reviews necessary.
Despite a terrible trailer, this is actually a relationship comedy that doesn’t make you want to claw at your face … except for the best reason, which is that awful ‘Oh no, they DID NOT just do/say that’ feeling that makes you wish a black hole would appear for you and the offending characters to disappear into. Erin (Drew Barrymore), a 31-year-old summer intern at a New York newspaper, meets Garrett (Justin Long—affectionately know forever more as “The Mac guy”), a record company executive forced to spend his days dealing with Short Stack clones instead of fighting for the bands he loves. They have a summer fling, but unfortunately have to end it when Erin returns to the west coast.
Barrymore is likable as the stuff-up who’s an intern in her 30s, but her interaction with Long makes her even more appealing; the two genuinely seem to like each other (they are an on/off couple in real life) and have great back-and-forth chemistry. Depending on their current relationship status, the premiere of this film could be very awkward and result in at least a couple of whispered ‘Bitch, please’ and ‘Go fuck yourself’ remarks from both parties. Someone get Joan Rivers on the red carpet, immediately.
Director Nanette Burstein (American Teen) artfully weaves the central question through the movie, while never directly asking it – who would you go the distance for?
Erin and Garrett deal with their separation in a variety of ways, from constant phone and online contact, to a highly unnecessary phone sex scene (the rhythm of the dialogue isn’t dead on and as a result, the scene falls flatter than open mic night).
However, the film has many good points. The city of New York isn’t overly romanticised; Drew Barrymore manages to play someone other than herself wearing more make-up (it’s been a while); the supporting cast bring the laughs (Jason Sudeikis as Box, Garrett’s friend and boss, and Christina Applegate as Erin’s older sister, Corinne) and some of the dialogue is ridiculously funny in an Apatow comedy kind of way. This isn’t verbatim, but here’s a sample where Garrett is about to go after Erin in the airport:
Airport security guard: Does she have a nice ass?
Garrett: Like the wind.
Airport security guard: What the hell does that mean?
Garrett: (frowns) I have absolutely no idea.
***½
KATIA NIZIC
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