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Plot Summary

Going the Distance (2010) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2010 · 102 min · English
JustWatch #719 24
Directed by
Nanette Burstein
Starring
Ron Livingston, Drew Barrymore, Justin Long
Budget
$32M

Erin's wit and honesty charm Garrett during lively evenings and playful morning competitions, sparking a passionate summer romance. However, when Erin plans to move west while Garrett remains in the east, they question if their whirlwind romance can last. As the distance between them increases, they discover their connection is deeper and more meaningful than they initially thought, leading them to reconsider their separate paths.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Going the Distance
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Going the Distance (2010)

Where can you watch Going the Distance? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Apple TV, Amazon Video and Apple TV Store: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Going the Distance: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Going the Distance (2010) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Erin Langford is a graduate journalism student who lands a summer internship at a New York City newspaper. One night at a bar, she meets Garrett, who interrupts her Centipede game. They drink together and end up at his place, where they smoke marijuana and have sex while Garrett's roommate Dan DJs their hookup. The next morning, before she can leave, Erin agrees to have breakfast with him. Telling him she is only in the city for six weeks, they agree to keep it casual.

Erin and Garrett soon develop real feelings for each other, and she tries to get a permanent position at the paper. Working for a record label, Garrett is assigned to manage a band he dislikes, and he begins to hate his job.

When Erin's six weeks are over, she and Garrett find it difficult to let go. After driving her to the airport and saying goodbye, Garrett runs after her, admitting that he is crazy about her and wants to have a long-distance relationship, to which she agrees.

Over the following months, Erin and Garrett spend their free time trying to figure out when they can see each other. He gives her a surprise visit on Thanksgiving. After an emotional reunion, they go to Erin's sister Corinne's house, where she is staying, and start to have passionate sex on the dining room table. Unbeknownst to them, Erin's brother-in-law Phil is having dinner, and Corinne walks in on the awkward scene. The next day, they see The Boxer Rebellion perform, but Garrett is jealous Erin is friends with Damon, Damon, a handsome bartender, and eventually has to return to NYC.

In January, Erin calls her former boss, but they are not hiring. Unable to find comfort in a phone conversation with Garrett, she gets drunk with Damon and almost kisses him, but goes home. Her professor recommends her for a position at the San Francisco Chronicle and she goes for an interview. Garrett tries to have phone sex with Erin, but it ends up being awkward, leaving both feeling ridiculous.

A month later, while Erin is packing for a weekend in NYC, she gets a call from the Chronicle and is offered the job. Upon arriving in New York, she tells Garrett about the job offer, blindsiding him with the news. Their happy reunion quickly devolves into a fight, causing Erin to spend the first night of her trip at a friend's. They make up the next day, and he calls her a week later saying he wants her to move to NYC, live together and start afresh. She agrees, but while visiting San Francisco to sort things out, a conversation with Corinne makes Garrett realize he should not be the reason Erin turns down the job, and they part ways after an emotional conversation and a long hug at the airport.

Six months later, Erin's career is going well, having written her first front-page story. Garrett has not been with anyone since her, and quits his job to manage The Boxer Rebellion. He sends Erin tickets to their show and she goes, unaware he is the band manager. At the concert he reveals he has moved to Los Angeles, only several hours from San Francisco, and they seize another chance at a relationship. Late that night they go back to Corinne's, interrupting her and Phil dry humping on the dining room table. The film ends as Erin's niece, Maya, enters during the awkward moment, and they all scream

> Maya! Statue!

to freeze.

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 15:38

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Plot questions answered

Going the Distance Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Going the Distance (2010): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does Garrett run after Erin at the airport?

After driving Erin to the airport for her departure, Garrett realizes he cannot let her go without expressing his true feelings. He runs through the terminal and admits he is crazy about her, proposing they try a long-distance relationship. This moment marks the shift from their casual summer arrangement to a committed relationship despite the upcoming distance.

  • garrett
  • erin
  • airport
  • long-distance
  • confession
Q2

Why does Erin almost kiss Damon?

In January, Erin is frustrated because she cannot find a job in New York and feels disconnected from Garrett during their phone calls. After getting drunk with her friend Damon, she nearly kisses him out of loneliness and emotional vulnerability, but stops herself and goes home. This moment highlights the strain the long-distance relationship puts on both characters.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Garrett noticed Erin was friendly with Damon at the concert and became jealous, foreshadowing the tension Damon would create in their relationship.

  • erin
  • damon
  • almost kiss
  • loneliness
  • long-distance
Q3

Why does Garrett let Erin go at the San Francisco airport?

After reconciling and Garrett suggesting Erin move to NYC to live together, he visits San Francisco and has a conversation with Erin's sister Corinne. This chat makes Garrett realize he would be holding Erin back from her dream job at the San Francisco Chronicle. He decides he should not be the reason she turns down the position, so he ends the relationship at the airport despite still loving her.

  • garrett
  • erin
  • airport
  • breakup
  • dream job
Q4

What is the "Maya! Statue!" joke at the end of the movie?

"Maya! Statue!" is a running family joke where anyone caught in an embarrassing situation shouts "Maya! Statue!" and everyone freezes to avoid being discovered. The joke appears twice: first when Erin and Garrett are caught having sex on the dining room table by Corinne, and again at the end when Corinne and Phil are caught dry-humping by young Maya.

  • maya
  • statue
  • joke
  • family
  • comedy
Q5

Why does Garrett quit his job at the record label?

Garrett is assigned to manage a band he dislikes, which makes him increasingly miserable at work. Over time, his resentment grows until he finally quits. Six months after breaking up with Erin, he takes a position managing The Boxer Rebellion, a band he actually supports, allowing him to do work he is passionate about.

  • garrett
  • job
  • record label
  • quit
  • boxer rebellion
Q6

Why is Garrett jealous of Damon at the concert?

At the Boxer Rebellion concert, Garrett becomes jealous when he sees Erin interacting with Damon, an attractive bartender she befriended in San Francisco. His jealousy stems from insecurity and the distance between them, making him paranoid about losing Erin to someone who is physically closer.

  • garrett
  • damon
  • jealousy
  • concert
  • bar
Q7

Why does Erin accept the job at the San Francisco Chronicle?

After her professor recommends her for a position, Erin interviews at the San Francisco Chronicle and is offered the job. This represents her dream opportunity as a journalist, a front-page story at a major newspaper. When she receives the offer while packing to visit Garrett in NYC, she sees it as a career-making opportunity she cannot turn down.

  • erin
  • job
  • san francisco chronicle
  • dream job
  • career
Q8

How does Garrett end up managing The Boxer Rebellion?

Six months after breaking up with Erin, Garrett quits his miserable record label job and takes a position managing The Boxer Rebellion, the band he previously took Erin to see. This career change allows him to work with music he actually enjoys. He later sends Erin tickets to one of their shows, revealing he has moved to Los Angeles, only a few hours from San Francisco.

  • garrett
  • boxer rebellion
  • manager
  • los angeles
  • career change
Q9

Why is the phone sex scene so awkward between Erin and Garrett?

Garrett attempts to have phone sex with Erin to maintain intimacy across the distance, but the conversation becomes forced and embarrassing. Both parties feel ridiculous and the experience highlights how difficult long-distance relationships can be when it comes to maintaining physical intimacy through technology.

  • phone sex
  • awkward
  • long-distance
  • comedy
Q10

Why does Erin agree to keep things casual for six weeks?

When Erin meets Garrett, she tells him she is only in New York for a six-week summer internship. To avoid getting attached to someone who will leave, she suggests they keep the relationship casual. However, both develop genuine feelings for each other despite this initial agreement, leading to their decision to try long-distance.

  • erin
  • garrett
  • six weeks
  • casual
  • internship
Q11

Why is Erin and Garrett having sex on Corinne's dining room table significant?

During Garrett's Thanksgiving visit, Erin and Garrett rush to Erin's sister Corinne's house and begin passionate sex on the dining room table, only to be interrupted when Corinne walks in. This awkward moment becomes a recurring joke in the film, highlighting the comically chaotic nature of their relationship and sets up the running "Maya! Statue!" family joke.

  • corinne
  • sex
  • dining room table
  • interruption
  • comedy

Movie threads

More Movies Like Going the Distance, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Going the Distance tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Modern Romance Movies Like Going the Distance

Couples balancing personal ambitions with the challenge of staying connected. If you liked the realistic challenges in Going the Distance, explore other movies about couples navigating career ambitions and long-distance relationships. These films offer relatable stories of modern love, blending romantic tension with a light, hopeful tone.

  • romantic
  • hopeful
  • relatable
  • awkward
  • playful
  • determined
  • Tone: light, hopeful
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically follows a couple who share a strong initial connection but are soon tested by external pressures like moving for a job or conflicting life paths. The conflict is driven by logistical and emotional challenges rather than major dramatic betrayals, focusing on the question of whether their bond is strong enough to withstand practical realities.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a focus on realistic, modern relationship dilemmas. They balance romantic tension with a light tone and steady pacing, often featuring relatable characters whose primary conflict is juggling love with their individual lives, leading to a satisfying, optimistic conclusion.

Playful Romantic Comedies Similar to Going the Distance

Romances where humor comes from relatable, cringe-worthy, and playful moments. Fans of the awkward charm and playful humor in Going the Distance will enjoy these similar movies. Discover romantic comedies that focus on witty dialogue, relatable dating mishaps, and a lighthearted vibe, perfect for a casual and uplifting watch.

  • playful
  • awkward
  • witty
  • casual
  • charming
  • humorous
  • Tone: light, playful
  • Pacing: steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The stories often unfold through a series of comedic set pieces—like bad dates, miscommunications, and awkward intimate moments—that endear the characters to the audience. The romantic arc is buoyed by this consistent humor, ensuring the tone remains upbeat even when the couple faces minor obstacles.

Why they belong together: These films are united by a specific comedic style centered on awkwardness and playful interaction. They share a light emotional weight, steady pacing, and a focus on the charming, often hilarious, realities of building a relationship, making them perfect for a breezy, enjoyable watch.

If you liked this

Movies Like Going the Distance

Similar movies to Going the Distance: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

Browse all movie summaries

Every angle

Going the Distance (2010) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Going the Distance in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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