Going the Distance (2004) Poster

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7/10
Fun & silly with great Canadian scenery -- what more could you want?
olec6 March 2005
I was really pleased with this film -- sure, it's teen sex-comedy pap, but at least the actors are respectable, the dialogue believable and the scenery terrific. As the genre goes, it's right up there with the rest, and in some ways even better -- i.e., as much as we wanted it to happen, when did Stifler ever really literally get it in the end? Tyler did (and Shawn Roberts looked really, REALLY great in that role)and they never bowed to cheapening the joke by making it into something that a straight guy would never recover from -- they even went so far as to have him like it! Unlike the American comedies, where the macho guys pull pranks to have a laugh at the expense of their friends, the characters here were supportive of each other, and watched out for each other (very noble, very Canadian). And did I mention that Shawn Roberts is really HOT! This movie is worth seeing (shame it didn't do too well at the box office) -- and when was the last time we got a Canadian road movie that clearly was shot in Canada?! Well done MUCH -- I hope you continue with similar films that put a Canadian twist on American (Pie) movie styles, even if they are low-brow. And to those of you who think Canadians shouldn't be making or watching low-brow -- get over it! There's room out there for us to watch all movie types, and whereas sometimes you want a movie that moves you, other times you just wanna see some hotties put into positions the American movie-makers won't touch (thank you "Cougars" scene!).
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7/10
In Response to jellyneckr 's Review
kyle-loves-brooke17 October 2007
Warning: Spoilers
First of all I'd just like to say that this isn't the greatest movie of all time but it is an entertaining movie, especially for a Canadian movie. But I'm not here to review it. I just read jellyneckr 's review and felt the need to respond. Maybe it's a Canadian/American thing but there must have been a few differences between the movie there and here. First of all in Canada, Going the Distance was released in theaters so it's not a straight to DVD movie. And I don't know if it was just the only way the movie could be released in America or what but it's not a true National Lampoon movie. In fact in the movie's Canadian release on DVD it doesn't even have the National Lampoon banner on it. Maybe there were too many Canadian jokes or something but I actually found this movie to be quite entertaining. I guess the humor was lost on Americans.
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7/10
Stupid but funny Canadian teen comedy
cleg330 May 2005
I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone but if you like movies like American Pie (and I mean all of them 2 and 3 were pretty hurtin) then you'd definitely like this movie. I think this movie is as good as the American Pie sequels and they both rate a 6.3 so I think this movie deserves better then a 5.2. I rated it a 7 but that's probably due in part to the fact that this is a Candian film. I don't think it is a bad thing for the Canadian film industry to be making commercial films like this one. Every film that comes out of canada doesn't have to be an art film. Even though I love Canadian art films. Only a diverse Canadian film industry can grow. So go watch it and expect a lot of dick and fart jokes.
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What a great comedy!
nickk727 June 2004
This movie is the living proof that you CAN make a good comedy without Jason Biggs or Freddy Prince Jr (Not that I have anything against them, they're both very talented and funny). The movie is funny, simple and doesn't take itself too seriously which is all we need when watching this type of movie. All the characters have that "little something special" which bring colors and diversity to the movie, and they're all there: the "romantic hunk", the "Pot-Smoking Sidekick", the "muscled-up macho", the "Irresistible Virgin" and much more. Since the final takes place during the "Much Music Video Award", you get the chance to see two of Canada's most popular artists; Avril Lavigne and Swollen Members".

In overall, "Going the Distance" stands in the "American Pie/Road Trip/Tomcats" league, you won't be disappointed...
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1/10
Depressingly bad
jeb_toronto30 August 2004
The most-hyped Canadian film of the year, at the climax of which Jason Priestly pulls a used condom out of his own mouth.

The kindest thing I've heard other people say is that it's "really a lot like American Pie" or whatever.

Yeah, so much so that you can see (it's not too difficult) where they tried to amateurishly ape even those bad movies. You can have fun with your friends spotting all the ripped off jokes from other better bad movies, including (thanks Me, Myself, and Irene) a scene in which a young man gets sodomized by two fortysomething women. Seeing as they're, like, straight out of high school, I can only say:

Man, statutory rape is a *gut-buster*!

MuchMusic ought to be proud.

Telefilm ought to sober up.

Canadians should grab torches and pitchforks.

Anyway.
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6/10
Canadian Pie (pmartin-1 did you even watch it?)
jmadrix23 February 2005
First I would like to point out that it's GOB not Sum 41. Also I thought the cameos from Avril, GOB, the MUCH Music dude, and Swollen Members was pretty cool to see. As the topic states I think this is like a Canadian version of American Pie. Only better. It seemed to go farther than AP was willing to go. The storyline was cheesy and predictable but it's a teen comedy. It's main purpose is to make people laugh. Which I did. Hopes this helps with anyone's decision on whether or not to watch it.

P.S. Not every movie needs to be totally artsy or indie to be watchable.
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4/10
road trip
SnoopyStyle7 January 2020
It's high school graduation. Nick (Christopher Jacot) plans to have the perfect life with girlfriend Trish (Katheryn Winnick). When aspiring singer Trish takes off with sleazy music producer Lenny Swackhammer (Jason Priestley) to Toronto, he decides to follow her to propose to her. His idiot surfer friends Tyler and Dime kidnaps him for a cross country road trip. They pick up hitchhikers Sasha (Joanne Kelly) and Jill (Mayko Nguyen).

The dudes are idiots and not necessarily funny idiots. The movie is idiotic with limited funny idiocy. This is Canadian maple syrup. It has whale and iceberg on the east coast, surfing on the west coast, a strip club in Montreal, and the Much Music Video Awards show in Toronto. Some of it is almost funny. Nguyen is surprisingly close but the others aren't that close. It's also a bit of a time capsule with Avril Lavigne at her pinnacle. She was a big deal once upon a time.
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7/10
Canadian Road Trip
jsabbe1 May 2005
Warning: Spoilers
This movie might as well have been called "Canadian Road Trip" as it follows "Road Trip" almost to the letter. Starting with the characters: the romantic lead, the pot-hungry friend, and the party-crazed, loud friend. All three take off on an adventure to save the lead's relationship. Along the way, they lose their vehicle, run out of money, the loud, party guy takes it in the corn-hole and enjoys it, the pot-smoker gives dope to an old man, and in the end, the main character ends up breaking up with the girlfriend to be with the other girl. There's even a point where a fire extinguisher is set off.

All that being said, I liked "Road trip" and also enjoyed this movie. Some fresh jokes thrown in with some of the oldest laughs ever. The farmer's daughter bit at first I thought was going to be dumb, but it turned out to be worth a good laugh. And the hippie parents were a riot. Cameos don't overly impress me in any movie, but if you're into cameos, then the appearances of Avril, GOB, Swollen Members, and George Whatever-his-name-is from Much music should satisfy your need for celebrities in this film.

With the film makers obviously trying to show the diversity of Canada's landscape and lifestyles. Starting with the west coast beaches, the prairie carnival, the Montreal strip club, and "floggin' fish and chips" in Newfoundland. And for the back-drop, everything from The Rockies to icebergs. I have to say, it's nice for once to watch a movie where the settings are familiar to me. Seeing places that I've actually been to locally.

If you wanna good laugh and not have to think too hard, then this is one that you'll wanna see.
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1/10
doesn't even cross the starting line
movieman_kev28 May 2005
Canada's answer to the road trip movie is akin to 1989's "The Wizard", but instead of hawking Nintendo and it's apparel, this film has a hard-on for MuchMusic (the Canadian equivalent of MTV) Directed by the dreaded Mark Griffiths of "Hardbodies" movies infamy, this alleged 'comedy' revolving around guy chasing after his girl who's at the MuchMusic awards isn't funny in the least. Seems Canada has lost th recipe for the funny. The days of "Porky's", "Strange Brew", and "SCTV" all over my north of the border friends.

PS: It's not called homage to out-right lift gags from far superior movies.

My Grade: F
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7/10
Fun, Guilty Pleasure With Great Scenery
britishdominion20 September 2007
"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!
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5/10
farmers daughter anyone?
SpeedyFromTheBerks26 December 2005
Warning: Spoilers
NATIONAL LAMPOON'S GOING THE DISTANCE delivers what you'd expect from a NL movie, that being sex, drugs, horny teens and a predictable plot. That said, it is not a bad movie but it's not exactley good. The part where the farmers daughter performs a explicit act on Dime at the dinner table and then moves on over to the girl is hilarious, the scene with Dime clicking pictures of the girl bathing nude in a lake (wtf was her name?) and then falling into the water and continuing to take pictures of her is not. And if you've ever wanted to see Jason Preistly pull a condom out of his mouth, then this is the movie for you. I rate it a 5 because I'm stuck in the middle when it comes to this one. There's plenty to like and dislike. That said, I can't tell you to watch it but I can't tell you not to either. I hope this isn't confusing. It's your call on this one.
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10/10
This movie is actually damn funny and sexy
Victoria6112 August 2004
I've seen Going the Distance and I was pleasantly surprised. The jokes are fresh and funny. The girls are damn hot. There's plenty of nudity and sex. I say kudos to Canada for making a movie that could compete with the commercial Hollywood machine that pumps out American Pies and Without a Paddles. I'm sick of seeing sad, pretentious Canadian movies about terminally ill pregnant lesbians. Making movies is just as much a business as it is an art. It's nice to see this country try to make a buck. Sex and comedy sells, and this movie has plenty of both. This movie comes from the company that did Last Wedding and Punch, both very classy, artsy films. So now they're trying their hand at something else. I say good for them, and as a Canadian, I will support them with my ten dollars.
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7/10
Predictable but entertaining
BentSpoon21 February 2007
Like others have said before me, this movie follows the route of Road Trip, American Pie, previous National Lampoon movies plus a dash of Overnight Delivery. The characters followed a stock formula: the Nice Good Guy, the Goofball/Nerd, the Arrogant Jerk. Throw in some horny or scantily clad ladies. The romantic subplot became obvious from a mile away. There was a lot of sexual innuendo and some gratuitous nudity. The thing is this formula doesn't win Oscars, but it's usually funny. Going the Distance isn't a bad way to spend an hour and a half, and as far as National Lampoon movies go, it's far funnier than the wretched Adam & Eve.
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3/10
Going the Distance to the Exit.
anaconda-406589 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Going the Distance (2004): Dir: Mark Griffiths / Cast: Christopher Jacot, Joanne Kelly, Shawn Roberts, Ryan Belleville, Jason Priestley: With Avril Lavigne making a cameo the studio hopes to lure in the teens that make up most of her fan base. Unfortunately they fail to mention the content that features jokes about oral sex and location shots in strip clubs. It is a trashy teen comedy about goals as our young lead treks to Toronto in an R.V. to propose to his girlfriend who is attending the Much Music Video Awards with a sleazy producer. His parents dislike the girl so they hire someone to prevent them from hitting their destination. Along the way they pick up two female hitchhikers who just happen to be singers. How convenient that must be. Standard road movie descends into a series of vulgar situations. Director Mark Griffiths does his best and features fine footage of the video awards with celebrity cameos. Cast of unknowns include Christopher Jacot, Joanne Kelly, Shawn Roberts, and Ryan Belleville who are cast as the basic teen movie stereotypes of little brains. Jason Priestley even makes a desperate cameo taking the stage and allowing his career to slowly die within this shame. Everything save for the video award show has been done before in movies every bit as bad as this one. Viewers should go the distance to place this pointless vulgar mess in the trash. Score: 3 / 10
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Well... it's better than most Canadian movies...
Wizard-822 June 2009
If you have watched as many Canadian movies I have over the years, you have probably learned to avoid them, at least if they are ones that have received funding from the government. However, when I learned that this one was aimed at a wider-than-usual audience than usual (instead of being just made for the filmmaker, his friends, and the art-loving government), plus the fact that I was able to see it for free (no way I am spending money on a Canadian government-funded movie!), I decided to give it a chance.

There are some positive things I can say about this Canadian movie. The scenery is breathtaking at times. This movie not only has a pleasant backdrop, it makes the movie seem more fresh. The production values, though low budget, are a step up from most Canadian films. Also, the characters are (for the most part), a more likable bunch of characters than what you usually get for a youth-oriented comedy. This probably also explains why the movie seems less crude than the usual youth-oriented comedies you see.

But overall, the movie didn't work. The main reason for that is pretty simple - the movie isn't very funny. Most of the gags are predictable and tired, with no imagination to them despite the enthusiastic cast that performs them. Another fault of the movie is that the main character (for reasons that I won't spoil) becomes somewhat less sympathetic in the last quarter of the movie.

Still, this movie is a step up for Canadian film-making. Let's hope it inspires other Canadian filmmakers (as well as the Canadian government) to make movies with an AUDIENCE in mind, instead of the usual arty crap that NOBODY wants to see (either in Canada or elsewhere).

(P.S. - This movie actually played on prime time television in Canada with all the nudity, language, and sex-related material intact, and NOBODY complained! The American TV censors could learn something from this.)
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1/10
A great fun for retarded
nemesis47-111 December 2007
Is it really the way comedies should follow. I can't believe that watching such trash, and I mean real trash is enjoyable. People who watch this and laugh their ass off are surely low on a ICQ, surely they will laugh if you make a flick about two people shitting at each other. You can put this piece of $^%^$^&%$&^ along with the another flick White Coats. Same humor, same idiotic situations. Still there is one thing funny about this movie, the makers of it trying to be at the end of it very firm about love aspect(yeah, right). I can't believe I've wasted almost 90 minutes on this picture. May God himself forgive you when you are burning in hell.
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7/10
Good movie
fluffchop17 January 2022
Lighthearted romp along the Canadian countryside. It never drags, it's well paced, the acting is good. The scenery is nice. The story is good. It's easy to watch and entertaining.
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4/10
Some funny moments
vickthesnake5 February 2007
Even though this movie has it moments, for the most part it is all the same lame jokes that have been in the rest of the high school crowd movies. It wasn't so original. I would say it was just the Canadian version of American Pie, Trojan War, and the rest of the looking to get laid/road trip movies out there. The main character has hippie laid back parents, lives in a quiet surfing village yet is a little on the up tight site.

Another issue I had with this movie is why not fly across the country to be with the love of his life instead of cutting so close driving across.

Overall, if nothing else is on on TV, it ain't so bad that would make you want to change the channel.
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9/10
A great country to live in...
vezeme8 September 2004
My friends and I were torn between Without a Paddle with the many known actors and Going the Distance a Canadian production with few people that we could identify. We decided that, being Canadian, we should give the Canadian movie our support. I need to say that we were not disappointed! Going the Distance had so much that is necessary to a great "teen" movie: fun, laughs, love, sex, drugs, alcohol and extreme behaviors. The movie showed us beautiful and some familiar locations, such as the Much Music Corner in Toronto. It is great to see that everything about the movie was Canadian and it showed people that we do not need to go to Europe for a summer trip and that there is fun to be had in Canada! "Eh!?"
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10/10
diluted high school version of Sideways
rcg-130 December 2005
After having watched American Pie: Bandcamp, this is a rather refreshing take on the teen-movie road-trip genre. Sure, I spotted parallels to Harold & Kumar, Roadtrip, etc., but this movie was different. Maybe it was because the acting was fresh or because the dialogue was real, but this movie carries some--albeit crude--personality. The biggest feat was the lack of gimmicks; sorry kiddies, no stoned cheetahs, voyeur robots, or drawn-out cameos. There's enough human behavior to get you buzzed by the philosophy of it all, but not so much as to not have a good time. On the other extreme, the film is tasteful, not raunchy, and has great sense of adult humor. It's like a diluted high school version of Sideways.
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8/10
I don't watch ANYTHING twice, but I might do it for this for the laughs
BadlandZ15 August 2010
Going the Distance was amazingly cute. I kept expecting it to go tragically corny and predictable, and it did... But it did it in such a fresh and funny way I'd watch it again.

I did enjoy the Canadian angle, that they never diluted, or make a joke of being Canadian. And they kept me entertained throughout, even if there were only 1 or 2 flat out laughs. Everything was funny, and the few jokes that were over the top were in great context

Plus, the cameos were amazing. How they got great names to play bit parts in a straight to DVD movie was pretty cool.

It's not a must see. But it is something you should see.
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8/10
Surprisingly good and funny
raulfaust4 July 2011
Wow, who'd thought it. An underground film that has a pop star in it is an advertisement to lameness. Fortunately, this one is the exception.

The story and the casting here are very similar to "American Pie", but better written. Despite some predictable scenes like the two old girls in the bar, the film is most of the time surprising and we don't know what's gonna happen next. These boys face lots of situations that are possible (and funny), like the naughty girl daughter of the farmer. That scene was hilarious, a la Scary Movie.

Thumbs up for Shawn Roberts and Mayko Nguyen who really do their best to get in this film's mood. And congratulations for the writer - I really found the plot very entertaining.
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10/10
Awesome Canadian Film
Big_M1221 August 2004
Just because I am Canadian does not make my comment a bias one. This is one of the best Canadian films I ever seen and in the top 10 movies I seen this year. The plot was good and the jokes were awesome and I think thats what made this movie awesome. The movie could of probably been better without the Avril and Gob scene. I like Gob but I think Avril is a little too whiny. Also the much music scene was long but its a Canadian film and the movie is made by CHUM and much is owned by CHUM. So whatever thats just minor problems everything else was fine. And to all you Americans out there who say that this film is crap cause it is Canadian, your wrong. This movie is way better then some Hollywood movies.
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9/10
Awesome laughs
SuperCritic22 August 2004
This movie has lots of laughs. Great characters, you really DO want to see them hook up and have sex. Great orgasm scenes at the farmer's house, Jason Priestly had a great cameo and "Tyler" was pretty funny while being distinctly more intelligent and less obnoxious than "Stiffler" from American Pie. Joanne Kelly's upper lip is strange...but she is hot. This movie has just enough tits and sex although there could be more and it wouldn't hurt the film. Great Canadian Rockies footage and Tofino. The West Coast hippy parents were funny. Go see this movie, especially if you are from the West Coast and if you like movies like American Pie. I'm looking forward to seeing these actors in some more great Canadian films. Hopefully we'll see more funny films filmed in Canada like this one. 8/10.
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Waste Of Film!
pmartin-126 June 2004
There are people out there with good ideas that don't have the budget or the equipment needed to make a movie....then crap like this comes along and it makes you want to stab yourself in your own eye with an icepick. I hate Avril Lavigne so her cameo is a negative point in the movie, then George from much music shows up in the movie too which makes me want to jump off a bridge....and then the kicker....anyone for fake punk? Too bad cause Sum 41 is gonna be on your screen being all retarded and stuff too. Terrific, this is why they should stick to playing music videos and not creating utter crap and subjecting people to it.

And Thats All
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