Python Hyena 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

Raul Faust 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.

Christopher Smith It used to be that having National Lampoon in the title meant comedy gold. Two of the greatest comedies of all time, ANIMAL HOUSE and VACATION carried the National Lampoon banner. Throughout the 90s, National Lampoon continued to lend its name to such classics as SENIOR TRIP and LOADED WEAPON 1. For a while, it seemed like the greatness of the National Lampoon name would never die, especially after 2002's VAN WILDER, the closest college comedy to ANIMAL HOUSE since REVENGE OF THE NERDS. Then in 2003, the Lampoon name was scarred with THANKSGIVING FAMILY REUNION, a bad TV movie that premiered on TBS. That same year the Lampoon took another blow with the mediocre NATIONAL LAMPOON PRESENTS DORM DAZE. Now with GOING THE DISTANCE, the downfall of National Lampoon continues.GOING THE DISTANCE isn't even an American made movie. It's a Canadian ROAD TRIP clone that has nothing to do with the National Lampoon name. The only slightest Lampoon element was the whole guy-trying-to-ruin trip subplot was also done in SENIOR TRIP, but at least there it was funny. Here, it's the weakest part of the movie. It just doesn't work. In fact, 50% of the jokes in GOING THE DISTANCE don't work, which is rather unfortunate since the film had potential. I dug the first few opening scenes and thought that the film could end up being worthy of the National Lampoon name. However, after fifteen minutes had gone by, I realized this was sadly yet another direct-to-video dud. There were a few good laughs and Joanne Kelly was quite cute, but that wasn't enough to save this flick. 4/10

jmadrix 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.