Netflix has added the 2013 comedy-drama Drinking Buddies, starring Olivia Wilde and Anna Kendrick, making the indie film available to stream starting today. Directed, written, and edited by Joe Swanberg, the movie centers on two co-workers at a Chicago craft brewery whose close friendship is complicated by unspoken romantic tension. Wilde plays Kate, while Kendrick appears as Jill in a supporting role. The cast also includes Jake Johnson as Luke, Ron Livingston as Chris, Ti West as Dave, and Jason Sudeikis as Gene Dentler.
The story follows Kate and Luke, who share a bond that seems to go beyond friendship. Although both are involved with other people, their relationship becomes strained by hidden feelings and the possibility that they may be meant for each other. According to the official synopsis, Luke and Kate work together at a craft brewery and spend a weekend alone together that forces them to confront the truth about their connection. The film explores uncertainty, attraction, commitment, and the emotional complications that can arise when long-standing friendships blur into something deeper.
Drinking Buddies was produced by Paul Bernon, Andrea Roa, Swanberg, Sam Slater, and Alicia Van Couvering, with executive producers including Wilde, Ashley Bernon, David Kaplan, Anish Savjani, Jessica Klapman, and Mike Witherill. The film’s creative team featured cinematographer Ben Richardson, production designer Brandon Tonner-Connolly, and costume designer Amanda Ford. Released by Magnolia Pictures, the movie earned strong critical support during its theatrical run and holds a Fresh 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 118 reviews.
The film has developed a reputation as an understated and overlooked entry in both Wilde’s and Kendrick’s filmographies. Rather than relying on broad comedy or conventional romantic-drama beats, it takes a more naturalistic approach, focusing on small moments, awkward pauses, and the emotional drift between people who know each other too well. That low-key style became one of its defining traits and helped distinguish it from more polished studio comedies of the era.
For viewers discovering the film on Netflix for the first time, Drinking Buddies offers an early look at the kind of character-driven storytelling that became a hallmark of independent filmmaking in the 2010s. Its setting in a Chicago brewery adds a casual, lived-in atmosphere, while the ensemble cast helps create a realistic web of relationships and shifting loyalties. The film’s arrival on the platform gives it a new opportunity to reach a broader audience more than a decade after its original release.
With Olivia Wilde and Anna Kendrick among the project’s most recognizable names, Drinking Buddies is likely to attract renewed attention from subscribers looking for a smart, adult-oriented comedy-drama with emotional depth. The Netflix debut gives the movie a fresh spotlight and may help reintroduce it to viewers who missed it during its original theatrical release.
