There is something special about a movie that can make you laugh throughout and still make you feel the emotional core of the movie. That is the experience I had watching The Invite, the new movie from director Olivia Wilde, and despite some minor issues, I loved this movie. It is incredibly funny, with some amazing lines, and the acting is on point throughout from the full cast. Even with its single location and simple concept, The Invite manages to elevate the material and deliver a movie that had the theatre audibly laughing throughout, ending on one of the more touching moments I have seen in a movie or show this year.
Setting the stage, The Invite is a very simple concept: a couple on thin ice with their marriage, Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela (Olivia Wilde), invite their trendy, enigmatic neighbours, Hawk and Piña, played by Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz, respectively, over for a get-together to get to know them, and things snowball from there. What starts as a relatively awkward house party with two couples moves into some unexpected situations, and things quickly turn a bit more heated than anyone expected when walking in.
I did not expect to get so engrossed in the lives of Joe and Angela. Walking in, I was expecting a lighthearted comedy, but somehow The Invite defied my expectations. The performances by Wilde and Rogen are electric, trading barbs and small moments while still feeling incredibly human.
Their fights feel like these people are dealing with trauma and anger they cannot express, and from minute one, it was clear there was more going on behind the curtain than they wanted to show. That is expressed perfectly in the way they talk, tease, and interact with each other. I have seen real couples who do not have a natural rapport as strong as these two actors, and even though it can be uncomfortable to watch at times, it is also hard to look away.
Once Norton and Cruz enter the picture, all bets are off, and the movie gets going in earnest, delivering some of the more memorable scenes I have seen in a movie this year. Do not get me wrong, The Invite is not about major set pieces or action. It is all about human interactions, how people present themselves and the awkwardness of trying to make a good impression. We all put on faces to present ourselves to the people around us, and this movie does a good job of slowly stripping that facade away, letting these characters be raw and intimate, and showing their silly, messy, and often broken layers that rest just under the surface.
The cinematography and overall set design also help bring this concept to the surface, showcasing this stunning San Francisco apartment, which is in the midst of a conceptual renovation. The audience is given an intimate look at the various rooms, furniture, and setup that Angela goes through to put this little gathering together, and we see how each step is important to her, how it all feels, and how it all looks. But even with all that work, many areas remain unfinished, much like the walls in their bedroom, which are in a constant state of flux.
Even the scene composition uses the various locations in the small apartment to perfect effect, showcasing a character through windows, mirrors or with strange lighting to fully capture their mood, situation or the fact that they are being watched. It works brilliantly at setting the tone for a given scene or indicating where the movie is heading. I also just love the blocking and staging of everything in the scenes, setting up the various acts of the movie with different placements, seating or framing. It is subtle but works to give you a sense of where these characters are mentally and an idea of where things could head next, even if The Invite consistently defies that expectation.
The editing works well to set the tone, with the cutting emphasizing the characters’ emotions, giving time where needed and jumping to faster-framed shots that elevate tension and draw the audience into the characters’ mindset. It is strange to spend so much time talking about the location and cutting, but The Invite uses these elements to paint its picture of a struggling couple. Wilde makes expert use of various filmic tools to draw us into these characters’ lives and make us feel just how stressed, angry, frustrated, and self-hating they are, and it is a ride.
Granted, not everything works perfectly, and at one hour and 47 minutes, The Invite almost outstays its welcome, but thankfully, it stops before I found myself checking my watch. There is a lot to love here, but, much like any movie built to be this intimate, it can be uncomfortable at times and make you think a bit. These characters are incredibly relatable, and that is both a good thing and a bad thing, depending on how you dive in. Thankfully, I think there is a lot here that will appeal to a wider audience, and as long as you go in with an open mind, this movie has a lot to offer.
Opening in a limited release starting July 3 and moving to wider distribution starting July 10, this is a movie that is well worth seeing. It is smart, stylish, and incredibly sexy, but it also takes the time to explore its characters in a way that makes you think. The Invite is well worth the journey, even if it can linger in your mind a bit longer than you may expect.
