Sweet, sincere, and at times outrageously funny, Going the Distance captures the pulse of a generation where dating is loosely defined, careers are still preparing for takeoff, and romantic commitment is an abstract concept. Well-meaning to its core, the film has a refreshingly honest tone mixed with endearing humor that occasionally gets juvenile, creating distractions that water it down.

Distance follows the shaky romance of Erin (Drew Barrymore) and Garrett (Justin Long), who first bond over a video game at a dive bar in New York, and then later in bed for what they assume will be a one-shot deal. After all, Erin is a Stanford graduate student in journalism just weeks away from returning to California, while Garrett is a newly single ladies’ man slogging away at a music label. But as summer days go by, their chumminess only gets chummier: A few strolls on Coney Island, meaningful smiles, and Italian dinners later, they decide to throw geography to the wind and keep things going when Erin heads home.