psmaster175
Was good, but the ending wasn't what I hope for. Definitely could expand into another movie or add an alternate better ending.
arthera09
Neither one of the leads were likable. The two most likable characters to me were the two side characters. I could tell the movie was mostly improvised and the actors did not feel natural in that environment. There were times when it clicked, but not often. Some of the dialog was good in these moments, but it was never consistent. I remember laughing once during the whole movie and rolling my eyes for most of it. The two cast members, Ron Livingston and Anna Kendrick, were not the main focus of the movie and the only reason I watched it. In general I do not like Jake Johnson and I have no opinion on Olivia Wilde. I guess they both did an OK job, but they were both so annoying in general
Danielle
This is why people hate independent films. I love independent films, just not one that epitomizes what (can be) wrong with them. This film could literally be 45 minutes long. The director insists on extending shots that would be much more effective if they were shorter: for example, people driving in awkward silence in a car - the camera lingers and lingers on them, as if the director thinks that the audience needs time to understand. We got it, it's awkward, there's tension. This happens repeatedly. The actors are terrific, but the story is frustrating. I don't need a Hollywood ending, but after awhile, these two people, that you're initially rooting for, are just manipulative and annoying and foolish. And Ron Livingston is heinously wasted, disappearing halfway through. What looked like it would be a charming gem turned out to be just a forgettable waste of time.
meaninglessbark
Drinking Buddies is a well crafted pleasant film that looks at a platonic friendship between a man and woman who work together at a microbrewery. It's well acted, flows nicely, is very believable, and is so ordinary and every day that it will most likely be forgotten shortly after viewing.Drinking Buddies is one of those indie films that seem to be made by people who find their own little worlds and circle of friends incredibly fascinating and as such worthy of sharing with the world.There is nothing wrong with being enthralled with your life and friends, it's the ideal way to live. But just because you're happy and amused with your little world doesn't mean it's interesting to the world at large.Drinking Buddies is decent enough, and unlike similar my-life-is-fascinating indie films it's not full of cringe inducing dialog or idealized non-ideal characters.But almost anybody who'd want to watch Drinking Buddies has probably lived or is living a life like the one portrayed in Drinking Buddies. A sort of unstructured semi-slacker lifestyle; days spent fully employed in a just-left-of-mainstream job, off time spent hanging out with friends and drinking beer and having conversations and doing things that seem very meaningful when buzzed or drunk.If that describes you and if during one of those half drunken conversations you've ever said "We should just, like, get some cameras and film our lives and make a movie of it!" you'll be happy to know that you needn't bother because the people who made Drinking Buddies already did it for you.So rather than make a movie about your good but un-extraordinary life go buy a couple dozen craft brews, watch Drinking Buddies with your drinking buddies, then dream up some other creative endeavor. Maybe a food truck that sells pizza nachos or ice cream infused with booze.
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