Olivia Wilde returns with a sharp comedy.
Olivia Wilde was heralded for her entry into the directorial space back in 2019 with ‘Booksmart’; however, the negative reception to her follow-up, ‘Don’t Worry Darling’, left much to be desired. Fans of Wilde certainly don’t have to worry now with ‘The Invite’, a sharp, hilarious, thrilling, and often awkward comedy featuring four movie stars operating at the peaks of their powers.
Wilde and Seth Rogen star as Angela and Joe, a married couple whose main method of communication is through bickering. Joe arrives home after a long day of work to discover that Angela has invited the upstairs neighbors to their apartment for dinner, a gesture Joe immediately loathes being thrust upon him unexpectedly.
It’s not just that Joe wasn’t mentally prepared for the company; these particular neighbors have been creating a lot of noise and disturbances, and he’s been wanting to confront them about it. Right as Joe and Angela’s pre-dinner fight reaches its peak, Hawk (Edward Norton) and Pina (Penélope Cruz) arrive at the front door. The ensuing evening quickly spirals into unexpected territory.
The Invite Builds Tension Inside One Apartment
‘The Invite’ is an English-language remake of the Spanish film ‘The People Upstairs’, which is based on a stage play by Cesc Gay. The near-entirety of the film takes place in a single apartment, yet still manages breakneck pacing thanks to the fantastic dialogue in the screenplay by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones.
The dialogue is made even better by expert delivery in the performances from Wilde, Rogen, Norton, and Cruz. These four stars haven’t been this well-utilized on the big screen in quite some time, and it’s all underscored by incredible timing and chemistry. There isn’t a single performer who doesn’t hold their weight, and each brings key qualities to their characters that keep them so diverse.
Olivia Wilde Makes The Apartment Feel Cinematic
Wilde’s direction brings an incredible sense of space to the apartment where the film takes place, using numerous Dutch angles and still shots to keep pace with the dialogue and action. She’s not afraid to hold on to performers as they react to news, or slowly pan between different rooms to show the difference in actions taking place. There are so many creative angles in this one small apartment space that left me genuinely impressed.
The film is paced incredibly well, allowing the audience to feel insane tension at times, but also take deep breaths when reveals are taking place. The tense moments are accentuated wonderfully by Dev Hynes’ score.
Verdict
‘The Invite’ is a near-perfect combination of pacing, dialogue, performances, and space, resulting in a hilariously uncomfortable comedy. If you’ve seen the trailers, you might have an idea where this is going, but it’s a ride to see alongside an audience of comedy fans.
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Drew Munhausen
Media and Movie Mastermind who co-hosts the Moviegoers Society Podcast and Fresh out the Pod.
