Streaming on Netflix
Starring: Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, and Anna Kendrick
Back in the day, I did a quick review on social media about this movie, so if you happened to have seen it then I’ve probably already ruined this movie for you.
Several years ago when I saw the trailer for this movie I was sooo excited. It looked like a great romantic comedy about craft beer and friends! It didn’t have a big theatrical release so when it showed up on Netflix I immediately watched it. I wish I could say I enjoyed it as much as I hoped I would. This doesn’t mean it’s a bad movie, in fact I’m sure lots of people think it’s good! I’ll let you make your own decision, but here’s my honest review.
Let’s start with a basic rundown of the plot. Kate (Olivia Wilde) and Luke (Jake Johnson) work at Revolution Brewing Co. in Chicago. Immediately it is apparent that they are good friends and one would probably say they make a cute couple. However, it turns out they are both in relationships with other people. Kate is with a guy named Chris who is played by Ron Livingston (Office Space) and Luke is with girl named Jill who is played by Anna Kendrick (do I need to mention another movie?....Fine, Pitch Perfect).
If you know me, you probably know I love craft beer. It’s pretty much my career choice. If this movie was equally about craft beer and their friendship at Revolution Brewing as much as it’s about awkward sexual tension and the feeling that certain couples just don’t belong together I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more. But it’s not equally about those things. It’s more about the latter two things.
The entire film is an hour and a half of “will they, won’t they?” with a little bit of “what the heck!?” and of course the classic “just address your FEELINGS!” The entire story actually feels pretty realistic. The problem is people rarely watch movies to deal with the stress of reality. They watch them to escape it, and this whole movie makes me aggravated, somewhat angry, and just straight up annoyed at some of the characters and their decisions.
If you’re interested in this movie with a star studded cast, I just want to give you fair warning that it’s not the goofy rom-com that the trailer makes it out to be. Great actors but the story is lazy in my opinion. The drama and predicament presented is executed much better in other romantic dramas.
6.5/10
Usually I’m very generous with grading and try to choose movies and shows everyone will enjoy. I decided to use this review to show that taste is SUBJECTIVE! Whether it’s with food, music, movies, art, or whatever! I didn’t like this movie but maybe you will! That is my taste.
-James