"Going The Distance" has absolutely nothing going for it, and nothing that would make you think that it would be good... after all, that's my tax money going into this thing.
It does prove that Canadian filmmakers do have the capability in the 21st century to devise just-as-dumb a teenage sex comedy as their Americans counterparts, albeit now with equally as good production values. All involved in this production must have learned something after being endlessly subjected to the same kind of junk for so long, to somewhat perfection. The twist is, it's less ironically Canadian and more or less proud of what it really is.
And what it is, lo and behold, is actually a fun little movie that manages to take the well-worn cross-country road trip and, although hewing close enough to its formula not to break any new ground. At least turns itself into something that is more giddy, polished and less painless than an all-Canadian production like this might typically boast. Yep, it's surprisingly good, all things considered.
This film makes superb use of the mostly BC and Alberta landscapes that it drives its crappy motorhome through, and has a young, game cast of Canuck newcomers that would not be out of place in a similar US-type Skin-e-max enterprise. At least the cast seem wholesomely Canadian - honest, fun-loving, beer-drinking, horny - and not mean-spirited dolts like those who populate dreck like "Eurotrip" or those other "American Pie" knockoffs.
Overall, you can feel the brain cells just drying up as you journey through its short-and-sweet running time, and it pretty much runs out of gas by third act. That said, Canada plays Canada, and makes for a pretty decent travelogue, encouraging those around the world who happen to catch this one on the tube probably in the middle of the night to book a direct flight the next morning. It's that, or at least to revel in the insanely pleasant quality of good-natured, fun-loving and willing Hosers that might await them on their arrival.
A minor guilty pleasure to be sure, probably best after a few beers and little-to-no expectations. Have fun!
It does prove that Canadian filmmakers do have the capability in the 21st century to devise just-as-dumb a teenage sex comedy as their Americans counterparts, albeit now with equally as good production values. All involved in this production must have learned something after being endlessly subjected to the same kind of junk for so long, to somewhat perfection. The twist is, it's less ironically Canadian and more or less proud of what it really is.
And what it is, lo and behold, is actually a fun little movie that manages to take the well-worn cross-country road trip and, although hewing close enough to its formula not to break any new ground. At least turns itself into something that is more giddy, polished and less painless than an all-Canadian production like this might typically boast. Yep, it's surprisingly good, all things considered.
This film makes superb use of the mostly BC and Alberta landscapes that it drives its crappy motorhome through, and has a young, game cast of Canuck newcomers that would not be out of place in a similar US-type Skin-e-max enterprise. At least the cast seem wholesomely Canadian - honest, fun-loving, beer-drinking, horny - and not mean-spirited dolts like those who populate dreck like "Eurotrip" or those other "American Pie" knockoffs.
Overall, you can feel the brain cells just drying up as you journey through its short-and-sweet running time, and it pretty much runs out of gas by third act. That said, Canada plays Canada, and makes for a pretty decent travelogue, encouraging those around the world who happen to catch this one on the tube probably in the middle of the night to book a direct flight the next morning. It's that, or at least to revel in the insanely pleasant quality of good-natured, fun-loving and willing Hosers that might await them on their arrival.
A minor guilty pleasure to be sure, probably best after a few beers and little-to-no expectations. Have fun!