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Jeers To That

There is an air of pointlessness that surrounds "Drinking Buddies," an indie flick that isn't boring but doesn't have much to say either. If you've ever kicked back a few beers and hung out with your friends - and who hasn't? - then you've pretty much seen everything this movie has to offer. It's improvised to feel like real life and so it does.

According to IMDB, writer/director Joe Swanberg ("Hannah Takes The Stairs") gave the actors an outline of the plot without a script, so they mostly winged it. That works great for shows like "Curb Your Enthusiasm," where you have gifted comedians saying things on the fly, but in the case of "Drinking Buddies," it feels less earth shattering.

The basic premise is that Luke (Jack Johnson) and Kate (Olivia Wilde) work together at a Chicago brewery and have obvious sexual tension. It is not indulged, however, as Luke is in a six-year relationship with Jill (Anna Kendrick), a woman he plans to marry, and Kate has a boyfriend named Chris (Ron Livingston) who works in the music industry. Neither of these relationships seem particularly amazing, especially Kate and Chris, who lack chemistry and communication skills. Luke has a better catch in Jill, except for the time she secretly kisses Chris when the two couples go away to a lakeside cabin. Scandalous.

The best part of the movie is watching sparks fly between Luke and Kate, who are "friends," except not really. They don't sleep together but they clearly want to and they click on a very natural level. They're the friends who should be dating but they're both with other people, or something. Johnson, fully bearded, steps away from his "New Girl" neurosis and is charming and smooth here. He is clever and plays a mean game of cards. Wilde gets the girl-next-door thing down even though she looks like a cover girl. They can both do better than this movie. Kendrick and Livingston seem wasted in a feature that isn't really about them, but they manage a few nice moments.

There are lots of movies out there about relationships and love, and this one doesn't always go in the obvious direction. But that doesn't mean it is worth running out to see in theaters. A night out drinking with your actual buddies would probably be more entertaining.