Going the Distance

Love, Bong Hits & Bad Mustaches: The Real-Life Chaos Behind Going the Distance (2010)

Rom-coms are supposed to be fantasy, but Going the Distance was powered by very real exes, seriously awkward sex scenes, and at least one incident of accidental “getting high” on set. The movie about a messy long-distance relationship… was made by a cast living through a messy long-distance relationship. Naturally.

Buckle up: here’s the juiciest, actually reported gossip orbiting this underrated 2010 gem.

On-Set Drama & Awkward Intimacy

• Drew Barrymore and Justin Long have both talked about how painfully awkward the intimate scenes were to film. Long described doing “intimate, sexual stuff” — including simulating masturbation — in front of 30–40 crew members, while director Nanette Burstein walked over to give him very specific notes on how to masturbate so it would look better on camera . The set went “stone cold silent and respectful,” which somehow makes it worse.

• The first on-screen kiss between Erin and Garrett? Justin says it was “very sloppy” because the characters were supposed to be stoned — but also because he and Drew were already so comfortable with each other off-camera ^[1]. Translation: real-life history plus fake weed equals one very realistic make-out.

Romance Rumors & Breakup Fallout

• Forget “will they or won’t they” — Barrymore and Long were already deep into “we did, we broke up, we did again” territory. They started dating around 2007, split, then rekindled their romance while working together, including on Going the Distance . The film basically doubled as couples therapy… with a lighting budget.

• In a later TV reunion, Barrymore and Long described their relationship as “hedonistic,” “a little more immature,” and straight-up “chaos,” admitting they’d constantly get together, break up, and repeat . If you thought the movie felt a little too real about long-distance drama, that’d be why.

• After the film and the final breakup, they stayed publicly affectionate. Years later, Barrymore posted a sweet appreciation of Long, and he’s talked about having “deep affection” for her and always rooting for her ^[2][3]. It’s the rare rom-com couple where the mess didn’t end in scorched-earth PR.

Scandals, Substances & That Fake Weed Incident

• The standout scandal: Drew Barrymore once thought she actually got stoned from prop weed while shooting Going the Distance. According to a prop expert, during a bong-smoking scene, Barrymore believed she’d caught a real buzz off what was supposed to be fake marijuana . It was described as a “mixed experience” — great for realism, less great for clarity on set.

• That same scene feeds back into the “sloppy stoned kiss” Long talked about later — he said it felt easy and natural to play high and smitten with Barrymore ^[1]. Fans have speculated online that the moment looks so authentic because Drew really thought she was high, though that’s unconfirmed and more fan reading than proven fact.

Cast Feuds & Side-Character Tea (Or Lack Thereof)

• Despite the usual internet hopes for catty feuds, there’s no credible reporting of major blow-ups among the supporting cast. In fact, Barrymore specifically gushed about the ensemble, saying one of her favorite things about the movie was “all the people in it,” and Long admitted he struggled to keep a straight face around scene-stealers like Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis ^[1]. If there was drama, nobody’s snitched in print.

Wild Trivia & Hidden In-Jokes

• Director Nanette Burstein low‑key turned the movie into a personal Easter egg hunt. The New York bar where Erin and Garrett first connect — The Half King — was a real Chelsea bar co‑owned by Burstein, along with writer Scott Anderson and journalist Sebastian Junger . So yes, the director literally sent her leads to flirt in her own bar.

• The film’s New York City feel comes partly from Burstein using a bunch of real locations, including multiple Manhattan bars and restaurants ^[5]. For locals, the movie doubles as a time capsule of pre-2010 NYC nightlife.

Happily Ever After… Just Not Together

• After all the chaos, weed scares, and on-set nakedness, Barrymore and Long ultimately didn’t go the romantic distance — but they did give us one of the rare rom-com productions where the real drama matched the script. Years later, they still publicly defend and praise each other, and fans cling to every reunion clip like it’s a secret sequel ^[2][3].

• In other words: the love story ended, but the PR-friendly, nostalgic, “we were wild, we were young” myth of Going the Distance is very much alive.