THE INVITE
Starring: Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton
Director: Olivia Wilde
ADRIANO
The Invite spectacularly fires on all cylinders. Despite its chamber-piece setting, director Olivia Wilde does an incredible job of never making it feel like a play, and paired with its editing and firecracker writing, the film is kinetic, sucking you into every frame. Wilde, Seth Rogen, Edward Norton, and Penélope Cruz all give outstanding performances, and as funny as the movie is (a high joke-per-minute ratio and a near-equal hit rate), The Invite’s ability to slow down and have a universally poignant conversation about relationships is a testament to the strength of everyone involved with this fantastic mid-year gem.
NICK
With an airtight script, pitch-perfect pacing, and a great ensemble cast, The Invite is a triumph. Director Olivia Wilde shows that Don't Worry Darling was the exception and not the rule when it comes to her skills as she gives one of the strongest directorial efforts of the year. Wilde takes full advantage of her singular setting to enhance the performances of her four lead actors (I will listen to arguments for each as the film’s MVP) and gives them the opportunity to shine. It’s hilarious throughout but never at the expense of its honesty, which is yet another strength of the overall film.
AMARÚ
The Invite is a hectically seamless marriage of multiple film elements. Writers Will McCormack and Rashida Jones channel their inner Aaron Sorkin, but they’re much more uniquely chaotic. Composer Devonté Hynes’ tonal shifts, including pure silence, perfectly enhances the awkward turmoil. Olivia Wilde’s direction brilliantly juxtaposes the narrative disarray with pristinely angled framing and mirror usage, simultaneously reflecting her character’s failing struggle to maintain order. Add in Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton’s singularly hilarious performances, and Seth Rogen’s perfectly timed sardonic one-liners, and it all comes together to surprisingly present an important message about open, honest communication. An unexpectedly beautiful, big ball of bonkers bedlam.
ROBERT
If your film is going to be a three-act play in one setting, it better be hilariously written and beautifully blocked, or spectacularly acted and emotionally resonant. I’m thrilled that The Invite thrives in both sandboxes effortlessly. The dialogue is incessantly crackling, and the interpersonal dynamics between these two different relationships socially merging into an incendiary atmosphere are both cringey and awkward in the best ways. The script is phenomenal, and the music’s situational awareness inspiringly transitions with the tenor of the conversations. All four performers vibrate on a wavelength perfect for their strengths, and most importantly, as a haphazard dinner party, it’s always enthralling.
BODE
The Invite sees actor-director Olivia Wilde switching gears once more; this time, taking a chamber piece-style approach to explore two couples whose lives couldn’t be more different from one another. By all accounts, she makes a meal out of it. Already working off a snappy, insightful script from writers Rashida Jones and Will McCormack (whose Celeste and Jesse Forever is also required viewing), Wilde elevates the material by getting the absolute best out of her cast, as well as her editors and cinematographer, all of whose efforts accentuate the hilarity and heartbreak of the film’s shifting dynamics. I really enjoyed this.
KATIE
When I say that The Invite is excruciating, I mean that with the highest praise. It’s pitch-perfect; hilariously awkward and relentlessly entertaining, with a razor-sharp script, meticulous pacing, faultless performances, and Olivia Wilde’s brilliant direction. The stellar cast work magically comes together and are all laugh-out-loud funny. Despite the singular setting and theatrical nature of the drama, it never feels stagey, and I was absorbed in the story and cacophony of voices punctuated by the wonderfully jarring musical score that accentuates the oppressively uncomfortable atmosphere. Yet, I was still moved by the end of the film and its brief emotional authenticity.
