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"Drinking Buddies is an incredibly personal, organic film that will be experienced a little differently by each person." – Sound on Sight
On the back of a SXSW premiere, Joe Swanberg presents his 14th feature: the relationship comedy, Drinking Buddies.
Luke (Jake Johnson) and Kate (Olivia Wilde) are colleagues at a microbrewery whose flirtation-riddled friendship oozes chemistry. With both in relationships – Luke with Jill (Anna Kendrick) and Kate with Chris (Ron Livingstone) – an overnight beach trip for the foursome becomes a tipping point.
Cast members Wilde and Kendrick are given the refreshing freedom to play against type, and combined with Swanberg's trademark improv-heavy dialogue and cinematographer Ben Richardson's (Beasts of the Southern Wild, MIFF 2012) intimate photography, Drinking Buddies is a revitalising departure from the syrupy, focus-group tested packages that permeate the rom-com genre.
"More polished and well-acted than anything [Swanberg]'s made before, with nuanced comic performances … and a point of view that's mature, funny and thoughtful." – Twitch
D/S Joe Swanberg P Ashley Bernon, Paul Bernon, David Kaplan, Jessica Klapman Dist Sony Pictures TD DCP/2013