Drinking Buddies - Amici di bevuta

As a warning to anyone wishing to see this movie: it is not a COMEDY nor was it designed to be. Jake Johnson usually plays comedic roles but do not expect any big laughs from him or the cast. This movie is essentially a new take on a classic relationship quagmire - 2 adults who are doomed to remain friends despite a strong sexual attraction towards each other.

The films strongest point is the portrayal of realism in regards to adult relationships. You won't find any cheesy romantic quips or witty comedic banter - just adults trying their best to deal with the problems of love and life. A large portion of the film may seem uneventful but for anyone who has been in this type of situation before, you will establish a greater connection to the lovelorned co-stars.

Olivia Wilde is surprisingly genuine and in-depth along with Johnson. Jason Sudeikis has a wasted cameo (probably decided to be in the film to keep tabs on his new wifey, Olivia). Other then that, no one else really stands out.

It is best to come into this film with the realization that it is not a comedy; that way you will have a greater appreciation of the adult themes laid out.

I saw this movie at the Indianapolis International Film Festival and it exceeded my expectations, partially because of the negative review beside this one.

The plot of Drinking Buddies is simple: two close co-workers - both already in relationships - struggle with their feelings toward one another. This is a relatable concept for many of us, and those of us who have been in this situation understand just how complicated it can get.

The other reviewer claims that "nothing happens between the main characters," and I would argue that point. Lots of things happen between the main characters and what these things most close resemble is real life. This film is thoughtful, funny, heartbreaking and totally charming.

It's official: watching a bunch of twenty-somethings figure out who they want to date is boring.

"Drinking Buddies" is about two couples who kind of wish each of them were free to hook up with the opposite-gendered member of the OTHER couple but who don't do anything about it. There are many scenes of some combination of these four people drinking copious amounts of beer and talking about nothing that's at all significant. This might recreate the actual experience of going out to bars and staying there long after all of the exciting people have gone home, but it makes for tedious and unengaging dramatic material. I would be tempted to shrug the film off as a total loss, but the final few scenes finally deliver something interesting in the way of writing and acting, so the film's not a complete wash.

Olivia Wilde is the main protagonist, and she's basically a male fantasy come true -- in other words, a dude who just happens to have a vagina. Anna Kendrick is the boring girl who wants her boyfriend to propose to her, and she looks just about as bored to be in the movie as we are by her character.

The film was of particular interest to me because it takes place in Chicago (where I live), but it could have been filmed in any city that has nondescript apartments.

Though I'm not THAT much older (38) than these characters are supposed to be, I felt watching this movie like I might as well have been born in the 1950s. You know you're a parent when you want to tell all the characters to drink some water and eat a vegetable.

Grade: C

I've been highly anticipating this in the hopes that it would be this year's Celeste & Jesse Forever and it didn't disappoint at all: it's more light-hearted and less penetrative, but has the same keen eye for relationship dynamics, sly humor, realistic characters and fantastic soundtrack. It's the most true-to-life romantic comedy I've seen in years. The characters were so relatable, totally reminded me of people in my life, and Joe Swanberg doesn't need plot twists or external drama to push the story along because it unfolds so naturally through the character interactions and developments.

It doesn't dig very deep into its characters, but I felt that was accurate and appropriate: we don't know much about the characters because they don't let people get to know them. Daily interactions are shallow, jokey; the deep conversations and self-revelations only really happen at 4am by a bonfire after a few drinks. I think the film would have been much worse if it had a Katherine-Heigl-movie moment of all the characters spilling their feelings and wants and grievances to each other because that is not how life goes - at least not for these people.

Olivia Wilde is outstanding and while it's not the powerhouse role I've been waiting for her to take on, it does further establish her as an impressively natural and charismatic talent simply in need of the right roles. She's hilarious and buoyant and handles her dramatic moments - however fleeting or quiet - with expert skill. Jake Johnson was the perfect match for Wilde as they have incredible chemistry and their charming banter keeps the movie energized. Anna Kendrick basically plays herself, but she's very good, as is Ron Livingston with a curiously enigmatic performance.

It won't appeal to everyone, because as it is so realistic, not much happens. It's more focused on the almosts and the might-have-beens than the happeneds. But it's so delightful, funny, observant, and coyly ambiguous, I really hope people give it a chance. It's not going to revolutionize cinema or anything but it has an authenticity, spark and lively wit that the genre generally eschews in favor of saccharine clichés and melodramatic crying scenes.

I really wanted to like the movie, because it was supposed to be something about real human relationships, not some fairy tale. And it was, and it was boring as hell. Basically the sole strength of the film, if not its entire premise, is the romantic tension between the main character, interpreted by Olivia Wilde, and her colleague at a beer factory. They are friends, but are they only that? You spend one hour and a half to find out.

The highlight of the film, for me, was the double date trip. There we see how people who paired up for romantic relationships get to have more fun and feel more connected to people from other couples. I think it is the most honest moment of the film, I've been there and it feels so weird to pit instant and exciting connection with a stranger against the meaningful but tired relationship with your significant other. The comparison is impossible to make.

Even if this film feels indie in script, acting and budget, one can still be surprised by the cast. Not only Olivia Wilde, but also Ron Livingston, Anna Hendrick and Jason Sudeikis are playing. So for such a cast I had better expectations than what I was served. I really wished the drinking in the title would be something meaningful, not just that a quarter of the film is about people drinking in the same room.

Bottom line: it was a raw, realistic film about human relationships. A "life movie" how my mother would call it. It was not too pretentious and overall was well done and acted. The problem is that it doesn't bring much to the table and ended up to be extremely boring to me. Also, 13 doesn't look as good naked as I had expected ;)