Joe Swanberg has been making a name for himself on the indie circuit with quite a diverse slate of films, though I would have no idea, it’s just what I’ve heard since I’ve only seen one of his films (V/H/S) and he didn’t direct the whole thing. Despite that, I do know that his latest comedy, Drinking Buddies, is the largest film he’s made to date and one that features a terrific cast comprised of Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnston, Anna Kendrick, Ron Livingston, and even Ti West and Jason Sudeikis in small roles. For the first time making a pretty large film (though it feels small), Swanberg takes the jump in stride and shows off why he should be a filmmaker to know and one we will likely see directing bigger and bigger films later down the road.
In Drinking Buddies, Kate (Wilde) and Luke (Johnston) work at a craft beer brewery and have one of those really close relationships where they could be a perfect couple but at the moment are just really great friends. It also happens to be the case that both are in relationships, Kate is with Chris (Livingston) and Luke is with Jill (Kendrick). Jill and Luke have been together for a while and Jill wants to discuss the possibility of marriage. Before that drama begins to unfold, the couples go on a weekend getaway trip for some fun. During this couples weekend, the trip becomes the drinking buddies versus the hiking buddies as Kate and Luke want to relax while Chris and Jill seem to love the outdoors. What happens on the trip has a ripple effect and shows off the cracks in everyone’s relationships while also suggesting that there might be more to Luke and Kate’s relationship than originally thought…or is there?
On the surface, Drinking Buddies appears to be a simple relationship comedy but once the film gets rolling you realize there is a lot more to it and that the relationship between Kate and Luke gets a little more complicated as the film goes on. Instead, the film becomes a test of friendship, loyalty and honesty as the beer loving duo try to navigate the waters of their “friendship.”
There are some really great and hilarious scenes throughout the film that provide a lot of awkward laughs. I mean seriously, there is so much awkwardness that some will probably feel uncomfortable by the whole thing, potentially because they can relate to the situation. In fact, this movie explores the question of “can men and women actually be friends?” and by the end we get a good sense if that seems possible or not. In fact, you could call this movie Friends With[out] Benefits, i.e. Friends, and it shows how people navigate situations of romantic tension as adults, rather than acting like children. This is one of the film’s strongest dramatic points amongst the joys of its comedy.
The really cool part about the film is that while Swanberg provides an outline for the film’s plot and a simple structure for the actors to follow, he doesn’t actually provide them with a script. Yup, that means the entire film is basically improvised which, when watching it, makes the success of the film that much more impressive and shows that each actor in the film has some serious talent that you may not have thought they had.
One of my favorite parts of the film is that for the first time in I don’t know when, a woman confesses to her boyfriend that she kissed someone and, in response, the boyfriend forgives her immediately. He shows his affection and understands that she made a mistake, probably because he seemed like he was heading down that road too, but still he never did and loves her so much that he’s willing to forgive right away. It was so nice to see a filmmaker and the actors take this approach and show that people can get through tough times without always having to fight.
Drinking Buddies was one of the film’s I desperately wanted to see at SXSW and am really glad I got the chance to do so. Go in expecting to see a ton of beer drinking and leave knowing that you’ll probably end up having one when you get home. Not only is it a beer lovers film but this is a romantic comedy that everyone can enjoy and most certainly can relate to. A majority of people have had a close friend that they’ve flirted with and there is always one party that might be curious if they should go further. Drinking Buddies explores that idea and more in a way that feels natural but also very comical, much in the way real life plays out. Magnolia just picked up the rights to the film so I suggest that when it’s released later this year you get some friends together, have a few brews, and enjoy the good natured film that is Drinking Buddies.
Rating: Awkward, funny and authentic, it’s a comedy that speaks the truth about close male/female friendships (7/10)
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