
If you loved
Drinking Buddies
Joe Swanberg · Film · 2013
What hooked you in Drinking Buddies was the way professional proximity constantly destabilizes the boundary between platonic friendship and romantic longing.
Books on the same thread
Sober Curious
Ruby Warrington · Book · 2018
If you enjoyed the alcohol-soaked atmosphere of Drinking Buddies, this book offers a reflective pivot by exploring how life looks when you step back from the bar.
Too Close for Comfort
La Jill Hunt · Book · 2006
Much like the messy romantic tension in Drinking Buddies, this story captures the friction that arises when personal feelings begin to complicate your established social and professional world.
Charming Billy
Alice McDermott · Book · 1999
This novel echoes the bar-centric community found in Drinking Buddies, focusing on the intimate conversations and long-held secrets that emerge when people gather to share a drink together.
Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood, Book 11)
Charlaine Harris · Book · 2011
You will recognize the workplace dynamics of Drinking Buddies here, where a local bar serves as the central hub for drama, complex relationships, and unavoidable, high-stakes personal tension.
Series on the same thread

Horace and Pete
Louis C.K. · Series · 2016
This series mirrors the dive bar setting of Drinking Buddies, observing how the regulars and employees navigate their existential woes through the lens of their shared working environment.

Modern Love
John Carney · Series · 2019
If the nuanced, modern relationship struggles in Drinking Buddies resonated with you, these stories provide a similar deep dive into the messy, undefined nature of contemporary human connections.

My First First Love
Jung Hyun-jung · Series · 2019
The blurred lines between friendship and romance seen in Drinking Buddies are front and center here, as cohabitation forces a group to navigate the complications of their evolving feelings.

Industry
Mickey Down · Series · 2020
While the stakes are higher than in Drinking Buddies, you will find the same intense pressure of workplace relationships where the line between colleague and lover remains dangerously thin.
Podcasts on the same thread

Ologies with Alie Ward
Alie Ward · Podcast · 2026
This podcast captures the conversational, curious spirit found in Drinking Buddies, offering a deep dive into the science of beer and the eccentricities of human behavior and discovery.

Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend
Team Coco & Earwolf · Podcast · 2026
Fans of the rapport in Drinking Buddies will appreciate this exploration of professional intimacy, where the host examines the awkward gap between being coworkers and being true friends.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Drinking Buddies a movie about workplace relationships?
Yes, Drinking Buddies explores the blurred lines between friendship and romance within a professional setting. The film focuses on characters navigating office dynamics, the pressure of marriage, and the complications that arise from drinking on the job during their daily interactions.
Does Drinking Buddies feature themes of long-term relationship pressure?
Drinking Buddies examines the tension surrounding marriage pressure and biological clocks. The film portrays how these personal stressors impact the way characters perceive their friendships and the subtle, lingering eye contact that suggests feelings beyond a platonic connection.
What kind of social situations are depicted in Drinking Buddies?
Drinking Buddies depicts various social environments that contribute to romantic tension, including weekend trips, office parties, and late night conversations. These settings serve as the backdrop for the characters to consume beer and confront the uncertainty of their evolving relationship status.
Who directed the 2013 film Drinking Buddies?
The 2013 film Drinking Buddies was directed by Joe Swanberg. The movie centers on the complex and often ambiguous nature of friendships that are tested by alcohol, professional proximity, and the looming expectations of settling down.