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Film / Drinking Buddies

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A 2013 American independent romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Joe Swanberg.

Luke (Jake Johnson) is dating Jill (Anna Kendrick). His best friend and coworker Kate (Olivia Wilde) is dating Chris (Ron Livingston). The movie goes on to explore the difficulties of being friends with someone you may have feelings for. Unlike your usual Romantic Comedy, the movie highlights the difficulties an existing relationship faces rather than the challenges of beginning a new relationship.


This film contains examples of:

  • As You Know: When Kate goes back to Chris' to try to get him back, he reiterates what he said when they broke up offscreen, that he doesn't think they were working.
  • Covers Always Lie: The cover shows Luke and Chris both clean-shaven. Chris has permastubble and Luke spends the whole movie with a full beard. Presumably so that people can identify him as the guy from New Girl.
  • Did Not Get the Girl: Or rather, Did Not Get The Guy. Luke still has Jill, but Kate, the female lead does not get either love interest.
  • Double Date: The plot gets kicked off by the two couples going to a cabin and it being obvious that the couples are mismatched.
  • Hard-Drinking Party Girl: Kate. It's almost literally her job.
  • Humiliation Conga: At the finale of the movie, Luke gets a serious cut on his hand helping Kate, gets into a fight with a stranger that doesn't go well, has to call on his coworkers whom doesn't like to help, has Kate bail on their plans to get dinner, and then finds out his long-term girlfriend kissed another guy. He takes it very well, though.
  • Improv: Almost all of the dialogue was ad-libbed due to director Joe Swanberg's mumblecore background. Actors were told the basic plot of the scenes and left to make up their own dialogue.
  • Maybe Ever After: The movie ends ambiguously. According to the director "it's hard for me, knowing how uncertain the world is, to put a certain, definite ending on a movie. I feel like I'm hopefully hinting that there's a resolution without it being cemented down, or hammering you over the head with it."
  • Ms. Fanservice: Kate. A tank top is pretty much the most modest thing she wears, and even goes topless at one point.
  • No Antagonist: The closest thing to an antagonist would be Chris, who is a source of drama but isn't really an enemy in any way shape or form. There's really no one to root against. The worst person in the movie is really closer to a sorta jerkass coworker.
  • On the Rebound: After Kate gets dumped by Chris, she hooks up with a coworker that she doesn't even like that much. When a friend calls her out on it, she says she doesn't love him or anything, and just acted.
  • Prefers Going Barefoot: As part of his down-to-earth blue-collar persona, Luke often goes barefoot. Even in his factory.
  • Realistic Diction Is Unrealistic: Averted, as per the director's Signature Style. People stutter, talk over each other, and stumble on their words.
  • Sleep Cute: Done many times to show off characters' chemistry.
  • Unresolved Sexual Tension: The basic plot of the movie is UST between two friends.

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