Well, *spoilers*
Do not read if you have not seen this movie yet, it will spoil it. This is for people who have seen the entire film.
Obviously from the trailer that was most definitely not what I was expecting. I dont mind the twist, but I think the direction was lacking in taking it where it fully was supposed to go. It sort of got lost in itself....or seemed unfinished in a lot of the scenes and definitely at the end. If you're going to make a twist like that, follow through, like hardcore follow through or it feels like a messy movie. I liked it, but I feel like it didn't know what kind of film it ultimately wanted to be. I felt so many times while watching, there were obvious times to laugh but I didnt know if I should be laughing, crying, or what. I felt as confused as the movie was portrayed. I think it was great it wasn't cliche. But I actually think that without that plot twist, even if they kept it in there but didnt take it quite as far ( you know what I mean ) that could have been interesting, but there were a lot of missed opportunities in the movie. If it were me, I would have shown at the very beginning Oliver on the phone, but the film purposefully hiding his small apartment) just a shot of him near a window on a phone--- then when they showed up at the bar, it should have been a bar he goes to all the time, so a bunch of people greet him and give him special treatment. So that Dan (and the audience) still don't know if he is quite famous or not? Then, NOT show the dialogue between him and Dermot.
They could have made out, or even fooled around just a little, but then Dan could have said no no no woah, I am really messed up on drugs. And not had sex. Then when Oliver went back, I think it would have been interesting for him to be cool with Dan at first, and for Dan to show off their friendship, and everyone be like wow and follow them around and jump on the band wagon, but Oliver's true colors could start showing---he could even develop a crush on Dan, and because of Dan's love for his wife not give it back, so he could have THEN started hanging out with other people, ignoring him, effing things up for Dan's job, and at the reunion, they could have had have everyone obsess over the fact that he was there. Like Dan thought would happen, but he could still ignore Dan, but instead of him completely embarrassing Dan, Dan could have embarrassed himself AND Oliver, as they have a fight about that night, the feelings Oliver has for him, and people could hear it. And then then Dan could have at some point in the movie, maybe when Oliver is being an ass to him after he shows him he doesn't feel that way for him, google him and see he's truly a starving actor, whos just on drugs and miserable and peeked in HS. And he could start having memories of that night in LA----and remember how small the apartment was, the fact that when they went to other bars noone recognized him, and maybe shown the convo (for the audience) of him not actually knowing Dermot Machoney. And him have the revelation that he was a fake, and he had such a wrong perception of him and his life.
And he still could have shown his jealousy and fear of missing out once Olvier starts ignoring him, giving the same kind of message---but with how the movie was, it didn't delve deep enough into the characters for that scene to make much sense, or the rest of it to. That's just my take on it and how I would have enjoyed the movie more if it went more like that. Maybe a tad more cliche that way but still different overall. That way there would still be some surprises (we wouldnt know hes not actually huge until a bit further in) and neither would Dan. And there would still be that shocker of them fooling around and Oliver having feelings for him. And both of them embarrassing one another because they both used each other and also were at the reunion for the wrong reasons.
They also could have/should have maybe shown flashbacks of Dan and Oliver in High school, and shown more of Oliver being home and out of LA. It would have been pretty interesting. So those are the opportunities I think the film missed out on, if I had made the film I would have taken it all in that direction. But that's just me. Not hating on the film that's where I would have taken it--- it just felt a tad sloppy and confused in its intention and direction. But good performances and I am glad it wasn't too hollywood cliche.