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Nanette Burstein talks Drew Barrymore, Justin Long and Going the Distance

By Anne Brodie Aug 25, 2010, 14:22 GMT

Erin\'s (Drew Barrymore) wry wit and unfiltered frankness charm newly single Garrett (Justin Long) over beer, bar trivia and breakfast the next morning. Their chemistry sparks a full-fledged summer fling, but neither expects it to last once Erin heads home to San Francisco and Garrett stays behind for his job in New York City. But when six weeks of romping through the city inadvertently become meaningful, neither is sure they want ...more

Drew Barrymore and Justin Long are real life partners … maybe. 

They’ve split and made up quite a bit over the past few years, but they look pretty happy as lovers in Nan Burstein’s romantic comedy, Going the Distance. 

They play two people in love torn apart by work obligations, who do their best to keep the flame burning.  If that means a little phone sex, well, hey, c’est la vie. 

And Barrymore and Long have real chemistry even if Barrymore refuses to confirm that they are a couple.

Monsters and Critics - Drew is one of the most charming people in the business.  It must have been a terrific working with her. 

Nan Burstein - She’s incredibly smart very charming funny and a real professional and perfectionist that’s what you want in an actress, to work as hard as possible to get it just perfect.  She started as a baby in Altered States; she’s had 34 years of experience.

M&C - Justin Long and Drew have been involved on and off for a long time.  That’s a lot to bring to a set.  Was it easy / not easy working on a story like this with them?

NB - They were in a very happy place at the time and they had that intimacy, they had great natural chemistry.  Onset and I don’t know what their personal relationship is like off set but onset they just seem like best friends who really care about each other. 

There was definitely a romantic feeling very much so, but really close and intimate and comfortable with each other.  There was no fighting or anything, a very harmonious situation.

M&C – It’s strange seeing Drew Barrymore cursing like a sailor; she has this image of sweetness and light. 

NB - At this point in her life she is a lot like this character, tough and vulnerable, she’ll curse and talk about sex with her girlfriends and she very much related to this character.  But what struck me about this character that I liked so much was she’s not crass.  She has so much charm and she’s very honest but she’s charming at the same time.  And that is what Drew is.

M&C – That gorgeous camera-friendly face; she lights up the screen.

NB - She looks beautiful in the film.  I think she gets prettier and prettier as she gets older.  It’s so inspiring for women.

M&C - You can see how much she is a Barrymore.  She has that famous profile.

NB - You can really see it in the film too.

M&C – Going the Distance looks at Drew and Justin’s characters’ efforts to maintain an intimate relationship although they live 3000 miles apart. Sadly, it seems these are common problems now because we’re more mobile than ever.

NB – The problem is incredibly prevalent in today’s generation.  Everyone moves around now.  Used to be you were born somewhere, you stayed there, and now most people end up going somewhere else or once they go somewhere else they move from city to city depending on their jobs.  It is very common that people fall in love and have to go somewhere else and what can you do?

M&C - Technology has made room for that but I don’t think it helps.

NB - I think it can work for a certain period of time, but it helps, it’s still not the same as real communication.  Nothing replaces that.

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