Review of Drinking Buddies (2013) by Andrew L — 14 Dec 2013

Drinking Buddies is one of those drama/comedies that will not be popular among the casual audience. The movie is full of heart and it feels slightly depressing but it is all wrapped up in a nice little package. The movie is also very independent feeling, which is great because it makes the events feel more real. I almost felt as if I was in the room with the characters. It is films like Drinking Buddies that makes me excited for what is to come in terms of drama/comedies and independent film.

The acting in Drinking Buddies was very well done. Most of that has to do with the high quality cast featuring Olivia Wilde, Jake M. Johnson, Anna Kendrick, Jason Sudeikis and Ron Livingston. The thing that makes Drinking Buddies work is the treatment of all the characters by the actors/actresses. No one felt as if they were better than the other, and this could be the way how the movie was written, but I felt like each actor/actress took it upon themselves to just relax and hang out. Everyone was an equal and by the end of the movie, each character is one that you like. And chances are you know someone like one of the characters.

More and more comedies seem to venture in the drama world, and I think that is a great thing. I have been surprised by some movies in the past like Sex Drive, For A Good Time Call, and while they are raunchy comedies, there is heart somewhere beneath all the jokes. Drinking Buddies never goes a raunchy route but each joke means something. Everything is built by conversation, as something that we all typically do on a daily basis. I do hope that the aspiring writer or director see this movie and take notes, because I strongly feel like comedies are heading in the right direction. They are becoming smarter while still keeping that same immaturity that comedies have.

Drinking Buddies is one of the best comedies I have seen in a while. Definitely worth the rent.