Another film and another variation on the romcom formula. Honestly, I’ve come to sit through the trailers for these flicks counting down the seconds to the shit-eating ‘but’.

In the latest cab off the rank it’s the tyranny of distance, as Drew Barrymore’s Erin and Justin Long’s Garrett attempt to hold down a trans-American relationship. If that sounds about as enjoyable as drinking drain cleaner I couldn’t blame you, but Going the Distance actually has plenty going for it: strong performances, a couple you can root for and some genuinely funny moments.

At the start of the pic, hip-to-the-scene New York record exec Garrett is making that most basic of schoolboy errors: not giving his girlfriend a birthday present – a brief argument later and they’ve broken up. At his commiserative drinks, the ambivalent Garrett manages to interrupt the Centipede game of newspaper intern Erin, and nary pitcher of beer later they’re back at his place, punching cones and making moans.

This opening gambit from the filmmakers sets us up for the duality that is Going the Distance. For every single thing this film does that’s smart and true there’s a moment that’s hopelessly cheap, grafted on by a careless and overambitious gag guy.

So you have the realistically drawn character of Erin cancelled out by the romcom cliché of the leading man’s best mates who can’t help but not help, or the truths of long-distance communication buggered by a set of semen jokes. Bongs? On a first date?! At least roll that fucker and pretend your characters are somewhat civilised.

As the film finalises its setup the weirdness becomes almost too distracting. Erin is leaving for the east coast in six weeks, so the two decide to keep things noncommittal. But logic is of course no match for the machinations of love, and what started as a summer fling soon turns into expensive plane flights and flaccid phone sex. At least Garrett has his mates’ dick jokes to see him through.

Thankfully, Going the Distance slowly arm-wrestles its deficiencies into submission. As the film finally settles into a second act rhythm, screenwriter Geoff LaTulippe begins to nail home his major characters, as well as flesh out a nice subtext on the seemingly broken industries of old media and record producing, so the weird behaviour and comic diversions don’t seem so jarring. For her part, first-time feature director Nanette Burstein gives the film lashings of naturalism and handles well an excellent, experienced cast.

It’s this killer cast that probably gets the film over the line. Barrymore has to be one of the best female leads in the business, her presence adding a genuine touch of class to Going the Distance. Long too is good value, his special gift for comic timing proving handy when selling the flick’s more retarded lines. In the major supporting role of Erin’s straight-laced but caring sister, Christina Applegate regularly comes close to stealing the entire film.

Eventually, Going the Distance succeeds despite its faults. The tonal inconsistencies are unfortunate and hint at a bunch of filmmakers lacking conviction in their own material. But this is a film with a couple you can actually root for as well as a collection of quality moments, some touching and some hilarious. Gents, this is one romantic comedy that you shouldn’t be ashamed to tag along to.


I say: If only everything about this film was as solid as the truth at its core, we’d have a bona fide romcom classic. As it is, this is reasonably enjoyable stuff.

See it for: Its female performers. Barrymore and Applegate are both excellent.

First, a disclaimer: I know these gents. In my other guise as a music writer, Zilla Rocca and Douglas Martin are two dudes I tend to discuss tunes with. Still, each time I tell myself that another write-up on 5 O’Clock Shadowboxers would amount to another conflict of interest, they come out and release something stunning – something that I’m compelled to form a few thoughts about. Having said all that, their rap redux of 12 Angry Men took a while to grow on me. I'm a fan of the film and at first the disconnect was a bit much, but give this time to grow and it pays back handsomely. It helps that No Resolution 2 is one of the classier pieces of hip hop to be released this year, but Curly Castro’s concept for the video – cutting the motion picture down to five minutes and assigning each rapper a character – is what really seals the deal. As edited by Lyle Horowitz of 5846 Films, the final product comes off like a sucker-punching preview for the full length feature.

Regular readers of this site will know I spent the formative years of my life in New Zealand. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t often miss the place – the rugby, the jetboats, the chocolate fish, the icecream – it really was a tiny land of plenty. So a film like Boy, set in 1980s Aotearoa, was always going to get me into a bit of a tiz.

When films like House of 1000 Dolls come up for review you tend to jump at the opportunity to catch some deep trash, as Bryn over at Horrorphile would term it. Vincent Price? 60s exploitation flick? Sign me up!

Pedro Almodovar’s filmography is so impressive that to come across a work that doesn’t leave you with at least a mirth-induced bellyache is surprising, shocking even. Almodovar labours over his comedy like others do their drama or tension, but in High Heels the gaudy highjinks end up feeling, well, laboured.

From Berlin last week came the sad news of the passing of Bruno S. He was 78. For many 20/20 Filmsight readers, Bruno S.’s name would barely register, but the man is a firm favourite round these parts, having starred in the Werner Herzog films The Enigma of Kasper Hauser and Stroszek. The illegitimate son of a prostitute and beaten so badly as a child that he was deaf for a time, S. spent most of his years between the ages of three and 26 inside mental institutions. A gruelling upbringing, it was one that eventually produced a man of intense focus and narrow social skills. Herzog had a great deal of admiration for S., fascinated that his experiences didn’t shape some sort of monstrous sociopath, but a quietly inquisitive individual of steady gaze and almost saintly virtue. If you’ve seen either Hauser or Stroszek, you’ll know what Herzog is talking about. If you haven’t, then perhaps you should take a look at either Cib’s review of the former or my write-up of the latter, and then get on down to the video store. RIP Bruno.

It should be established right from the start that Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is not a perfect film. There are too many quirks in character to make it wholly successful.