In his 14th feature Joe Swanberg introduces us to Luke (Jake Johnson) and Kate (Olivia Wilde), two colleagues who sometimes work, but mainly just flirt, at a microbrewery. Although they’re both in existing relationships – Luke with Jill (Anna Kendrick) and Kate with Chris (Ron Livingstone), the tension between the two can’t be denied, and it’s here from which the story develops.
When the four embark on a trip to a beach house, things start to get particularly exciting – Luke finds himself alone with Kate, and Chris with Jill. Soon enough, it becomes apparent that although Luke and Kate may be the more natural couple, frustratingly, their current situation doesn’t allow for this to be fully explored. What’s more, Jill’s constant probing questions about marriage to Luke start to complicate matters even more and are pretty annoying. Although the plot essentially builds upon this very simple framework, Swanberg’s trademark improv-heavy dialogue is where the movie excels. It allows the actors to reveal more of their personality than a script ever could – at times, an ordinarily-mundane scene, flourishes as something believable and real.
If taken literally, Drinking Buddies is a fairly misleading title. It’s not a film about boozing – although beer is consumed in almost every scene of the movie. Rather, drinking is the common interest between the couples and its influence allows for scenarios to develop in a way they otherwise wouldn’t. What we’re really presented with is a very clever observational comedy, scattered with the awkward silences, conversational blunders and little frustrations that make social interaction what it is. It’s the sum of all these parts that makes Drinking Buddies comical, raw and true.
