Olivia Wilde Turns the Horror of Making Adult Friends Into the Year's Funniest Black Comedy with "The Invite"

[the following review is spoiler-free]

As someone who has recently entered adulthood, I knew there were going to be some new difficulties that weren't present as a teenager. Mainly paying rent, grocery shopping, scheduling my own doctor's appointments, etc. But nobody ever talks about the real hardest part of being a grown-up: making friends. If you weren't blessed with lifelong childhood connections, making new friends as an adult is a daunting task. This plight is thoroughly explored in the new star-studded black comedy, The Invite, and trust me, it's one you'll want to accept as soon as possible.

The Invite follows couple, Angela and Joe as they prepare to have their neighbors, Pína and Hawk over for dinner. But as the evening goes on, Angela and Joe find out that their neighbors are a lot more... eccentric than initially thought. What starts out as an awkward dinner party turns into complete and utter chaos in a matter of hours. I am being intentionally vague as I firmly believe this film is most effective when you go in as blind as possible.

The Invite is the third feature film helmed by actor/director, Olivia Wilde. She made her directorial debut with the smash hit, Booksmart in 2019, but after her sophomore film, Don't Worry Darling flopped critically, people began to wonder if her initial project was just a fluke. After seeing The Invite I can confidentially tell you it wasn't.

The entire film takes place in the same apartment, causing it to feel a lot like a stage play adaptation. This is a far-cry from the ambitious, large-scale project that was Wilde's last film, Don't Worry Darling. The tiny scope of this film works to the film's advantage, allowing Wilde to really shine as a director, working with each actor individually, honing in on their physicality, mannerisms, and line delivery. The film stars Wilde herself as well as Seth Rogan, Penelope Cruz, and Edward Norton who all have distinct personalities and extraordinary on-screen chemistry. These performances are kneaded to perfection. It goes to show that bigger is not always better.

While the acting and directing are all perfect, the film's crown jewel is the screenplay by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones. All three aspects come together to create something truly special. There are so many little intricacies in this script that make it awkward, relatable, and undeniably hilarious. It's a film that starts out as a brilliant cringe-fest but evolves into something much more profound and introspective. In short, The Invite is like a stylistic and thematic cross between The Drama and Marriage Story...but make it a comedy. I feel confident in saying that this is one of the best scripts in years. It's the kind of screenplay that makes you want to write and is proof that the best stories can come from the mundane.

When you have a movie that takes place all in one house, expectations aren't set high for an elaborate set, but the production design in The Invite is truly the work of a master. Art department heads, Jade Healy, Adam Willis, and Sandra Doyle Carmola constructed a space not only artistically beautiful, but a clever glimpse into the minds of the characters who live there. As a new apartment renter I couldn't help but "ooh" and "ah" at the intricate furnishings, color patterns, and the small touches that made it look like a lived-in home. You don't need to be an Architectural Digest subscriber to appreciate how beautiful this set turned out. It actually makes the film feels less claustrophobic because there are so many new things to look at.

Despite the chaos and momentum that the film manages to keep, it results in a quiet, and in my opinion disappointing ending. That is until you start looking at the film in a different way. Without spoiling anything, this can be a different yet still incredible cinematic experience if you subscribe to the theory that Pína and Hawk aren't real people at all, but personified versions of Angela and Joe's fantasies. Whether you choose to watch The Invite through a practical or fantastic lens, it is still a great time at the movies.

Going forward, Olivia Wilde and company would be wise to continue this style of films that while small in scale, focus on human connection and exemplary scripts. Make sure to catch The Invite in theaters this weekend, but whatever you do, don't go as a double date!