[Movie Review] Drinking Buddies (2013)

Posted on January 13, 2014 by thegrandshuckett in Movie Reviews // 0 Comments

Plot Summary: Luke and Kate are co-workers at a Chicago brewery, where they spend their days drinking and flirting. They're perfect for each other, except that they're both in relationships. Luke is in the midst of marriage talks with his girlfriend of six years, Kate is playing it cool with her music producer boyfriend Chris. But you know what makes the line between "friends" and "more than friends" really blurry? Beer.

Director: Joe Swanberg

Writer: Joe Swanberg

Runtime: 90 min

Main Cast:

Olivia Wilde as Kate
Jake Johnson as Luke
Anna Kendrick as Jill
Ron Livingston as Chris

Review: by Anthony and Lee

Before officially dating and eventually getting married, we were the couple in this movie, the close friends that laugh at each other's jokes and finish each others sandwiches; however, Drinking Buddies threw in some curveballs for both comedic and dramatic purposes.

What We Liked:

The plot of Drinking Buddies was its highlight for us. The familiarity and ease with which we could relate to the story of the close friends in that window of time before becoming a couple was fantastic. It was nostalgic for us to watch them swapping lunch items, anticipating each others needs, buying each other sodas, knowing which was their favorite, flirting subtly, showing concern for each other, and becoming irrationally possessive of each other.

We also liked the breakdown of perspectives from both Luke and Kate in their relationships with their significant others as well as their “work spouse” relationship with one another.

It was helpful that both Olivia Wilde and Jake Johnson did great jobs in their roles as Kate and Luke respectively. They seemed to have a natural chemistry, interacting with great ease, so they really came across like they were the best of friends.

What We Didn’t Like:

Anna Kendrick was pretty forgettable. Her character could have been played by anyone, which was sad considering that she was pretty good in Pitch Perfect.

Also, Olivia Wilde, while pulling off her character as far as the plot was concerned, was completely unbelievable as “average.” No matter how many tank tops she wears or craft beers she can pound, there’s no way a female with her innate, model-like features and dazzling good looks would be working in a Chicago brewery dealing with a flannel-shirted, trucker-hat-wearing, bearded hipster guy.