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Plot Summary

Drinking Buddies (2013) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2013 · 90 min · English
JustWatch #1,524 5
Directed by
Joe Swanberg
Starring
Anna Kendrick, Jake M. Johnson, Ron Livingston, Olivia Wilde, Jason Sudeikis

Working alongside each other at a Chicago brewery, Luke and Kate share a close friendship and undeniable chemistry. Their easygoing banter and playful flirting create a comfortable tension, complicated by the fact that they each have significant others. As they navigate the complexities of their relationships and the blurred lines between friendship and romance, the brewery and its beer serve as a backdrop for a chance to consider their true desires and what they really want from life.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Drinking Buddies
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Drinking Buddies (2013)

Where can you watch Drinking Buddies? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and Netflix: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Drinking Buddies: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Drinking Buddies (2013) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Kate, played by Olivia Wilde, and Luke, portrayed by Jake M. Johnson, navigate their lives as co-workers at a vibrant Chicago craft brewery, Revolution Brewing. Their chemistry is undeniable as they spend their days sipping beers and playfully flirting while managing their respective roles — Luke works behind the scenes with the brewing machinery, while Kate oversees customer relations in the front office. Despite their perfect compatibility — sharing food, finishing each other’s sentences, and enjoying each other's presence — they both find themselves tied to other partners. Kate is in a relationship with Chris, played by Ron Livingston, while Luke is engaged to Jill, characterized by Anna Kendrick, whose desire to discuss marriage weighs heavily on Luke's mind.

As their working days blend into personal outings, the pair agrees to go out for drinks after work with their brewery team. An unexpected twist occurs when Luke’s fiancée, Jill, makes an appearance at the bar. Later, Kate rides her bike to the apartment of her socially awkward, yet kind-hearted boyfriend, Chris, where they share a quiet evening.

In stark contrast, Jill’s organized nature contrasts with Kate's spontaneity, as Chris, who dislikes beer and is particular about table manners, is less aligned with Kate’s free spirit. At the brewery's anniversary celebration, Chris extends an invitation for a weekend trip to his family’s cabin, where he and Jill embark on an adventure that includes a long hike and an innocent picnic, culminating in a kiss. Meanwhile, Kate and Luke revel in their freedom, engaging in ridiculous fun like playing blackjack and toying with their food.

After their return, the atmosphere remains charged as Chris becomes increasingly oblivious to Kate’s feelings, leaving her feeling isolated. In a moment of vulnerability, Luke offers Kate a chance to connect, which leads to a spontaneous and liberating skinny-dipping experience at the beach. However, the reality of Kate and Chris's strained relationship comes to a head when they break up, propelling Kate into a night of heavy drinking with her coworkers. Luke, concerned for her, tries to reach out but finds her unreceptive, exacerbating the tension between them.

Following a reckless night, Kate’s choice to sleep with a co-worker, Dave, ignites Luke's jealousy and frustration, leading to an intense confrontation. Their dynamic shifts yet again when Jill plans a getaway with friends, allowing Luke to deepen his connection with Kate during an intimate dinner and moving day. Their intimacy grows as they help each other through the transition, though miscommunications mar their budding romance.

However, after an unfortunate incident involving a moving van and an angry driver that leaves Luke in a less-than-ideal state, Kate's reliance on Dave for assistance stirs conflict, paving the way for a fierce argument between her and Luke. Upon returning home, Luke finds that Jill has reconciled her emotions, admitting to a kiss with Chris, yet Luke's feelings for her remain intact.

The next day, the intimacy between Kate and Luke reignites when they share lunch, reminiscing about their earlier camaraderie. As they once again offer each other bites of their food, laughter breaks the tension, culminating in them sharing a beer, suggesting that their story is far from over.

Last updated: November 03, 2024 at 15:14

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Plot questions answered

Drinking Buddies Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Drinking Buddies (2013): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does Kate break up with Chris?

Kate breaks up with Chris because she feels increasingly disconnected from him throughout the movie. His socially awkward nature, dislike of beer, and rigid table manners contrast sharply with Kate's spontaneous, free-spirited personality. The cabin trip highlights this disconnect when Chris goes with Jill instead of Kate, and Kate realizes their relationship lacks the chemistry she shares with Luke.

Foreshadowing: Early scenes show Kate and Luke sharing food and finishing each other's sentences, highlighting the incompatibility between Kate and Chris.

  • kate
  • chris
  • breakup
  • relationship
  • chemistry
Q2

Why doesn't Luke leave Jill for Kate?

Luke struggles to leave Jill because despite his obvious chemistry with Kate, he remains emotionally attached to his fiancée. When Jill admits to kissing Chris, Luke's feelings for her remain intact, showing his internal conflict. Additionally, the film portrays Luke as someone who gradually realizes his true feelings rather than acting impulsively, making his hesitation realistic.

Foreshadowing: Jill's desire to discuss marriage weighs heavily on Luke from the beginning, suggesting he feels trapped rather than excited about the engagement.

  • luke
  • jill
  • kate
  • engagement
  • feelings
Q3

What happens between Chris and Jill at the cabin?

During the weekend trip to Chris's family cabin, Chris and Jill go on a long hike and share an innocent picnic together. Their time alone culminates in a kiss, which later becomes significant when Jill admits to reconciling her feelings for Chris after the kiss. This event creates a complicated emotional web where both couples are indirectly entangled.

Foreshadowing: The cabin trip invitation is extended by Chris to Kate, but the dynamics shift when Jill ends up going instead, setting the stage for their connection.

  • chris
  • jill
  • cabin
  • kiss
  • trip
Q4

What happens when Luke and Kate go skinny-dipping?

After Kate's breakup with Chris, Luke finds her in a vulnerable state and offers to connect with her. They go skinny-dipping at the beach, sharing a liberating and intimate experience that deepens their emotional bond. However, despite this moment of closeness, they still don't officially pursue a relationship due to Luke's lingering engagement to Jill.

Foreshadowing: The scene occurs after Kate breaks up with Chris and Luke tries to reach out, showing their emotional connection transcends their complicated relationship status.

  • luke
  • kate
  • skinny-dipping
  • beach
  • intimacy
Q5

Why does Kate sleep with co-worker Dave?

After breaking up with Chris, Kate goes on a night of heavy drinking with co-workers and makes the reckless decision to sleep with Dave, a co-worker. This choice ignites Luke's jealousy and frustration, revealing his true feelings for Kate despite his engagement to Jill. The incident creates major tension between Kate and Luke, complicating their already messy dynamic.

Foreshadowing: Kate's night of heavy drinking follows her breakup, showing her emotional state and vulnerability after ending her relationship.

  • kate
  • dave
  • sleeping together
  • jealousy
  • luke
Q6

What happens with the moving van incident?

During Kate's moving day, Luke helps her transition to a new place. However, an unfortunate incident occurs with a moving van and an angry driver that leaves Luke in a shaken state. When Kate relies on Dave for assistance instead, it sparks a fierce argument between her and Luke, highlighting the fragility of their emerging relationship.

Foreshadowing: The tension builds from earlier miscommunications between Luke and Kate during their intimate dinner and moving preparations.

  • moving van
  • luke
  • kate
  • dave
  • argument
Q7

What does Jill reveal to Luke about Chris?

When Luke returns home after the moving incident, Jill reconciles her emotions and admits to sharing a kiss with Chris during the cabin trip. Despite this revelation, Luke's feelings for Jill remain intact, showing the complicated emotional state of all characters involved. This revelation adds another layer to the already tangled web of relationships.

Foreshadowing: The cabin trip earlier showed Chris and Jill sharing a kiss, which Jill later confirms to Luke after he experiences his own emotional turmoil.

  • jill
  • chris
  • kiss
  • revelation
  • luke
Q8

Does Kate end up with Luke?

The ending remains intentionally ambiguous. The final scene shows Luke and Kate sharing lunch at the brewery, reminiscing about their earlier camaraderie. They once again share bites of food and laughter, culminating in them sharing a beer together. This suggests their story is far from over and hints at a possible new beginning, but the film doesn't confirm whether they ultimately get together.

Foreshadowing: Throughout the film, their chemistry is undeniable but repeatedly complicated by their respective relationships, making the ending a continuation rather than a resolution.

  • ending
  • luke
  • kate
  • together
  • beer
Q9

Why is Luke hesitant to marry Jill?

Luke is hesitant to marry Jill because he feels pressured by her organized nature and her desire to discuss marriage. Unlike the easygoing chemistry he shares with Kate, Luke's relationship with Jill feels more like obligation than passion. Jill's organized nature contrasts with Kate's spontaneity, making Luke's true feelings unclear until later in the film.

Foreshadowing: The film opens with Jill's desire to discuss marriage weighing heavily on Luke's mind, establishing his uncertainty from the start.

  • luke
  • jill
  • marriage
  • engagement
  • hesitation
Q10

What role does the brewery play in the story?

Revolution Brewing serves as the central backdrop for the entire film, representing the everyday space where Kate and Luke's relationship develops. The brewery and its beer symbolize their shared lifestyle and compatibility, unlike Chris, who dislikes beer, Luke and Kate bond over their mutual appreciation for craft beer. This setting reinforces their natural chemistry through everyday interactions, playful flirting, and shared workdays.

Foreshadowing: The opening scenes establish the brewery as where Kate and Luke first meet and consistently return to throughout the film.

  • brewery
  • chicago
  • revolution brewing
  • beer
  • ssetting

Movie threads

More Movies Like Drinking Buddies, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Drinking Buddies tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies with relationship ambiguity like Drinking Buddies

Stories where friendship and romance blur in quiet, relatable ways. Find more movies like Drinking Buddies that explore the blurry line between friendship and romance. These films capture the quiet tension and emotional complexity of 'will-they-won't-they' dynamics in a grounded, realistic way, perfect for fans of character-driven dramedies.

  • yearning
  • unrequited
  • relatable
  • realistic
  • restless
  • observational
  • Tone: bittersweet, observational
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically follow characters navigating comfortable but undefined relationships, often complicated by existing partners or life paths. The journey revolves around internal conflict and subtle shifts in dynamic rather than dramatic confrontations, often concluding with open-ended resolutions that reflect real-life uncertainty.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a commitment to portraying relationship dynamics with emotional honesty. They connect through their focus on quiet yearning, relatable dilemmas, and a tone that balances lighthearted camaraderie with the bittersweet frustration of unacknowledged feelings.

Workplace dramedies with a realistic vibe like Drinking Buddies

Character studies where the professional world reflects personal struggles. If you liked the laid-back brewery setting and observational style of Drinking Buddies, explore these other workplace-centric films. These movies use a professional environment to frame relatable stories about friendship, personal dilemmas, and the search for meaning in modern life.

  • laid-back
  • observational
  • relatable
  • realistic
  • yearning
  • professional life
  • Tone: bittersweet, realistic
  • Pacing: steady, observational
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread unfold through the rhythms and interactions of a specific job or workplace. The narrative uses this environment to naturally bring characters together, creating a sense of authentic community where personal conflicts and triumphs play out alongside professional duties, often leading to significant self-discovery.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their use of a workplace as an integral element of the story's mood and character dynamics. They share a laid-back, observational feel, medium emotional weight, and a focus on how our jobs shape our relationships and personal journeys.

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Movies Like Drinking Buddies

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Every angle

Drinking Buddies (2013) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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