{"id":6507,"date":"2013-11-27T07:18:52","date_gmt":"2013-11-27T15:18:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/?p=6507"},"modified":"2021-12-12T15:19:34","modified_gmt":"2021-12-12T23:19:34","slug":"review-drinkingbuddies-bd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/2013\/11\/review-drinkingbuddies-bd\/","title":{"rendered":"Drinking Buddies Blu-ray Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Drinking Buddies<\/i><\/b> is an interesting experimental movie where, outside of a plot outline, was improvised. It doesn\u2019t make for the most energetic film but it at least doesn\u2019t follow the typical Hollywood romantic comedy-drama and the performances by Wilde and Johnson actually aren\u2019t bad.<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/a>
\nDrinking Buddies (2013)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Genre(s): <\/b>Drama, Comedy
\nMagnolia | R \u2013 90 min. \u2013 $39.98 | December 3, 2013
\n<\/b><\/p>\n

MOVIE INFO:
\n<\/span>Directed by: <\/b>Joe Swanberg
\nWriter(s): <\/b>Joe Swanberg (written by)
\nCast: <\/b>Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick, Ron Livingston, Jason Sudeikis<\/p>\n

Theatrical Release Date: <\/b>August 23, 2013 (limited release)<\/p>\n

DISC INFO:
\n<\/span>Features: <\/b>Commentary, Featurettes, Interviews, Deleted Scenes\/Outtakes, BD-Live
\nNumber of Discs: <\/b>1<\/p>\n

Audio: <\/b>English (DTS-HD MA 5.1)
\nVideo: <\/b>1080p\/Widescreen 2.40
\nSubtitles: <\/b>English SDH, Spanish
\nDisc Size: <\/b>28.9 GB
\nCodec: <\/b>MPEG-4 AVC
\nRegion(s): <\/b>A<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

THE MOVIE<\/strong> \u2013 3.0\/5<\/strong><\/h2>\n

An experimental film, writer and director Joe Swanberg had the cast improvise their lines with only a general key plot points to lead where conversations would go. That\u2019s apparently the hook for the drama-comedy Drinking Buddies<\/i><\/b> but like other experiments, there might be some things to admire but others to criticize.<\/p>\n

The story, as it is, focuses on Chicago brewery co-workers Kate (OLIVIA WILDE) and Luke (JAKE JOHNSON), who are good friends though feelings for one seems to want to go beyond the friendship stage. However, Kate is in a relationship with Chris (RON LIVINGSTON) while Luke is involved with Jill (ANNA KENDRICK). So things remain platonic between the pair though things get complicated.<\/p>\n

After an excursion to Chris\u2019 cabin in Michigan where the four have a good time playing games and, of course, drinking plenty of beer. As Kate and Luke play some cards and she teases him a bit skinny-dipping in the ocean, Chris and Jill goes hiking where, out of nowhere, the two kiss. Following this trip \u2013 where the return home is quiet \u2013 Chris soon after breaks off the relationship.<\/p>\n

This now leaves Kate wild and free and she drowns her heartbreak in, what else, alcohol to the point she goes home with a fellow co-worker leaving Luke royally pissed and in a foul mood given, ya know, he\u2019s wanted to boink her. Not being a dummy, Kate picks up on this and the two reconcile, though Luke\u2019s infatuation doesn\u2019t subside especially with the temptation being there when Jill takes a trip to Costa Rica, why, I can\u2019t remember nor care to.<\/p>\n

Written, or outlined at least, and directed by Joe Swanberg, Drinking Buddies<\/i><\/b> is not a movie for everybody. Despite clocking in at only 90 minutes, the film does tend to plod along with nothing really happening except for some jealousy going one way and that\u2019s about it. However, for the most part, I actually enjoyed watching some different from the numerous other romantic dramas as well as an atypical ending.<\/p>\n

The performances from Olivia Wilde and Jake Johnson are particularly strong and when she\u2019s on screen, Kendrick isn\u2019t too bad while Ron Livingston is barely in it and Jason Sudeikis was clearly doing a favor with a credited cameo.<\/p>\n

If you like Wilde and are interested in seeing Jake Johnson\u2019s more dramatic side, then Drinking Buddies<\/i><\/b> is worth a rental. On a side note, don\u2019t be fooled by the cover art, while Johnson is cleaned-shaven on both the front and back (pub shots), he has a full-on beard through the entire film, so apparently they did the photo shoot after filming had finished…<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

SPECIAL FEATURES \u2013 3.75\/5<\/strong><\/h2>\n

I don\u2019t normally comment on the cover artwork but it made me chuckle that Jake Johnson, who has a full-on beard through the entire movie, is completely clean shaven for the front and back covers. Apparently they did the publicity shots some time before or after the filming.<\/p>\n

Audio Commentary<\/span><\/b> \u2013 Writer\/Director Joe Swanberg & Producers Andrea Roa and Alicia Van Couvering<\/p>\n

Deleted Scenes\/Outtakes (7:15; HD)<\/span><\/b> \u2013 Obviously some footage had to be cut down since improv was involved. These are accompanied with optional commentary by Swanberg.<\/p>\n

Interviews (12:54; HD)<\/span><\/b> \u2013 You can watch them individually or via a Play All option, but you can hear from the four main cast members (Wilde, Johnson, Kendrick and Livingston) chat about the film, their characters and the process. Interestingly enough, and I am obsessed with the cover, these were recorded at the photo shoot as they are at the same location and wearing the same clothing.<\/p>\n

AXS TV: A Look at Drinking Buddies<\/i> (3:15; HD)<\/span><\/b> is a short promotional piece with footage from the trailer followed by some of the same interview footage from above.<\/p>\n

All Things Drinking (29:38; HD)<\/span><\/b> \u2013 \u201cDrinking Made Easy\u201d host Zane Lamprey interviews Swanberg.<\/p>\n

Behind the Scenes at Revolution Brewing (4:15; HD)<\/span><\/b> is a look at the brewery where a good portion of the film was shot.<\/p>\n

Theatrical Trailer (2:31; HD)<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

BD-Live<\/span><\/b> \u2013 Yep, there still is a studio that uses this…<\/p>\n

Previews<\/b> \u2013 Prince Avalanche<\/i>, Mr. Nobody<\/i>, Syrup<\/i><\/a>, Bad Milo<\/i><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

VIDEO \u2013 4.5\/5<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Drinking Buddies<\/i><\/b> arrives on Blu-ray thanks to Magnolia and shows well in 1080p high-definition. The film, presented with a 2.40 widescreen aspect ratio, I found detail levels were nice and clear and colors well balanced. For what it is, and presumably on a low budget, it\u2019s nothing that pops off the screen but it\u2019s still quite good.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

AUDIO \u2013 4.0\/5<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track meanwhile doesn\u2019t have a whole lot to offer considering the bulk of the film is dialogue driven, so much I can\u2019t really recall much of a score. So it\u2019s not the most depth-filled lossless track, it\u2019s satisfactory enough as dialogue is crisp and clear throughout and any ambient noise that does pop up, like the screaming angry driver (director cameo), does get the other channels working.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

OVERALL \u2013 3.5\/5<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Overall, Drinking Buddies<\/i><\/b> is an interesting experimental movie where, outside of a plot outline, was improvised. It doesn\u2019t make for the most energetic film but it at least doesn\u2019t follow the typical Hollywood romantic comedy-drama and the performances by Wilde and Johnson actually aren\u2019t bad. This isn\u2019t something I\u2019d probably watch again, yet I still found it somewhat refreshing and a breezy slice of life flick worth a rental.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

The Movieman
\n<\/i>Published: <\/b>11\/27\/2013<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Drinking Buddies is an interesting experimental movie where, outside of a plot outline, was improvised. It doesn\u2019t make for the most energetic film but it at least doesn\u2019t follow the typical Hollywood romantic comedy-drama and the performances by Wilde and Johnson actually aren\u2019t bad.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[443,2485,2486,546,1738,2487],"class_list":["post-6507","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blurayreviews","tag-anna-kendrick","tag-drinking-buddies","tag-jake-johnson","tag-jason-sudeikis","tag-olivia-wilde","tag-ron-livingston"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6507","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6507"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6507\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27476,"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6507\/revisions\/27476"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6507"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6507"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6507"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}