The Invite
- Ben Pivoz
- 1 minute ago
- 3 min read
The Invite is more than it appears to be. On the surface, it is a comedy about an unhappy couple having neighbors they barely know over for dinner. Below the jokes and awkward sexual tension lies a different story. That one is about two people who have made personal sacrifices that have made them miserable, to the point where they have gotten used to being unhappy all the time. A twisty night with their self-confident neighbors forces them to confront the truth about their relationship. It turns out to be a very funny movie, with an unexpected undercurrent of sadness.
Nearly the entire thing takes place in a single location, with four actors bouncing off of each other. It doesn’t feel stagey because the writing is sharp and clever, with detours that wind up in surprising places. Everything builds to a conclusion that comes off as both inevitable and genuinely touching. Basically, The Invite (104 minutes, without the end credits) is an amusing adult sex comedy, as well as an insightful look at complicated relationships. It looked good coming in; it was even better than I anticipated.
Joe and Angela have been married for over a decade. They have a nice apartment they recently renovated, a daughter they adore and open resentment toward each other. Without telling Joe, Angela decides to invite their upstairs neighbors, Piña and Hawk, over for dinner. Joe’s passive-aggressive insults and Angela’s intense need to impress their guests give way to a connection between the four that pushes the hosts to reevaluate their lives.
The Invite is a remake of the 2020 Spanish comedy Sentimental, the seventh remake of the material in six years, all in different countries. Its themes are universal: love, anger, desire, regret. Is doing what makes you happy selfish? I have not seen any of the other versions of this story, though it certainly works here. The screenplay, by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones, plays perfectly into the screen personas of the performers, who were well-chosen for their roles.
Seth Rogen is Joe, likable and funny, with anger seething underneath. Olivia Wilde, who also directed, is Angela, a self-conscious mess who just wants to be seen. Penélope Cruz is Piña, confident, observant and in control. Edward Norton is her boyfriend, Hawk, a guy who says how he feels in a way that is annoying at first, then becomes a little endearing.
The two pairs couldn’t be more different. Joe and Angela are younger, have been together longer and hate themselves. Piña and Hawk have been dating for less than a year, but are more experienced individually and more comfortable together. Sex becomes a major topic; one of the couples never has it, while the other does, frequently and enthusiastically. Those contrasts could come off as contrived, yet they never do.
This is the third directorial effort for Olivia Wilde, following Booksmart and Don’t Worry Darling. It is on the same level as her wonderful debut and a great comeback after her ambitious disaster of a follow-up. She is clearly not afraid to approach physical intimacy from varied directions, whether it’s from teenagers looking to have fun, people using it to hurt or adults who have given up on happiness. The Invite is the deepest of her filmography and the most impressive from a structural standpoint. It is funny and emotionally honest, with neither aspect undercutting the other. She also gives a good performance, probably the most complex in the movie. This is a great showcase for her on both counts. It gives the feeling that her best is still to come.
4 out of 5
Cast:
Seth Rogen as Joe
Olivia Wilde as Angela
Penélope Cruz as Piña
Edward Norton as Hawk
Directed by Olivia Wilde
Screenplay by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones
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