Social interactions mediated by substances: food, drinks, cigarettes, and everything in between.
The preparation of food and drink slows the action of a scene down without dragging it to a halt.
An over-the-shoulder shot of Sandra Bulloch’s character and her brother’s niche would have been redundant—we already recognize the location. The preparation of the cocktail at once shows Bulloch’s character’s flair for a stylish, well-laid plan and gives the audience a visual process to follow in a moment of reflection. Deliberate but not stale.
The final sip is much-deserved release.