There’s something particularly disappointing about a film that dares to make an unexpected turn but doesn’t follow through. ‘Drinking Buddies’ fits that description. A sweet little indie film with moments of startling bite, it seems to have lofty aspirations but quickly abandons them in favor of a tidy, crowd-pleasing wrap-up.
Directed by Joe Swanberg, the film follows “Luke” (Jake Johnson) and “Kate” (Olivia Wilde), two friends and co-workers at a Chicago brewery who are perfect for each other, except that they’re both in relationships with other people. As time goes by, the line between friendship and romance begins to blur, with life-altering results.
It’s a fine story, and the fact that every line of dialogue was entirely improvised based on a rough plot outline is impressive. The trouble is that although the film’s second half features some surprising twists, the ending is just too clean. We’re treated to some truly fascinating character development, only to be disappointed by an easy ending.
However, the film is still more than worth watching, largely due to the skill and talent of its leads.
Wilde is a luminous screen presence, playing her character with a charmingly dangerous mix of playfulness and volatility. She works beautifully with Johnson, an unlikely leading man whose open, quizzical face and permanent air of unease make him uniquely magnetic.
It’s lucky that the two are so compelling, because without them, the cop-out ending just isn’t worth waiting for. If Swanberg had had a little more courage, he could have made a film with a payoff that matched its setup.
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