Drinking Buddies

Rating: 3.5/5

An offbeat comedy/drama, Drinking Buddies is an original story with unexpected poignancy.

Luke (Jake Johnson) works for a craft brewing company called Revolution Brewing. Also working there is Kate (Olivia Wilde) who is the only female employed at the company. Kate and Luke are close friends, but it is clear that beneath the surface, both want more out of their friendship. However they cannot date because they are both seeing other people.

Luke has been seeing a girl named Jill (Anna Kendrick) for years, and Kate has been in a relationship with Chris (Ron Livingston) for several months. On an ill fated couple's weekend at Chris' family camp, both sets of relationships become more strained, and their future together as couples appear uncertain.

Drinking Buddies is quite the unusual film. When the movie begins, you get the impression that it is going to be a type of romantic comedy, but it isn't long before the expected upbeat demeanor of a rom-com fades away, and a more realistic and emotional story takes its' place. The unanticipated turn that the movie takes is what I found to be one of the most enjoyable pieces of the film. When a movie isn't instantly predictable, it always makes for a much better viewing experience.

Its' clear that the creators behind the film were trying to capture a strong sense of realism when it came to relationships between the characters. Most of the time it worked quite well, but there were some scenes that were so realistic, they were almost painfully awkward. I'm sure that's what the filmmakers were going for, but it doesn't make it any less uncomfortable to watch.

Adding to the authenticity the movie brings, are the styling and performances brought by the cast. As someone who knows a few people who work in the craft brewing industry, I can honestly say that at least wardrobe wise, the character of Luke appeared to be spot on. The acting added into that by Jake Johnson, made the interactions between Luke and the other characters seem so genuine, that it didn't even feel like a scene from a movie. It's clear that the cast put their heart and soul into their roles, and they make what could have been a mediocre film, a decent and overall enjoyable movie.

I had heard of this movie for years, but had put off watching it, because I had the wrong impression about the plot. Drinking Buddies pleasantly surprised me. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. Goes to show that you can never truly judge a movie until you have given it a chance.