The Invite is hilarious, outrageously funny, sharply observant and wickedly witty. This is, without question, Olivia Wilde’s best film as a director to date. Then again, that’s only her third feature, so perhaps all I can say is – brace yourself. This woman is brilliant.
Set almost entirely inside a modest San Francisco apartment, we meet long-married couple Angela (Olivia Wilde), a creatively frustrated housewife, and Joe (Seth Rogen), an insecure music teacher. They bicker constantly, over everything. Angela has invited their uninhibited upstairs neighbours, Pina and Hawk, over for dinner, much to the annoyance of Joe. What begins as the familiar discomfort of a weary marriage gradually transforms into a deliciously awkward sex comedy before pivoting in stunning style, into an emotionally devastating and honest examination of the realities of long-term relationships.
What I loved most is how Wilde throws the audience directly into these moments. You’re never quite sure where the story is heading, yet when the thematic turning point arrives and Pina finally voices what everyone in the room is thinking, your stomach drops. It’s one of those rare moments where the audience and the characters arrive at the same realisation together.
Wilde’s direction is exceptional. She frames scenes through windows, doorways and mirror reflections, physically fracturing the space in a way that mirrors the emotional distance within the marriage. Tight camera angles subtly shift the power dynamics throughout the film, creating an intimacy that often borders on claustrophobia. There is nowhere to hide from what’s unfolding.
The casting is flawless, as are the performances, but Penélope Cruz is the undeniable standout. As the charismatic sexologist who sets the evening’s events in motion, she is magnetic, provocative and impossibly funny. She blows the whole
thing apart, then slips out the door before offering to help clean up the mess.
The Invite officially opens on 9th July, with first look screenings showing at Luna Palace Cinemas before then.