Four characters, two couples, one apartment, and a whole lot of nothing else to really write home about.
However, I’m a film critic, so I have to write about this anyways. “The invite” is the latest film from director Olivia Wilde, who previously helmed 2022’s “Don’t Worry Darling.” Wilde also stars in the film as Angela, the wife of Joe (Seth Rogan), a man who doesn’t feel entirely fulfilled in his life where he works a job as a music teacher at a less than reputable school.
That unhappiness comes out in the marriage, as Joe and Angela are regularly bickering, and that only picks up at the movie’s onset, as the matriarch informs her husband she’s hosting a dinner party. She’s invited her neighbors Piña (Penelope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton), a more free spirited couple. As the small gathering begins, things quickly unravel.
If somebody thinks people awkwardly talking over each other is hilarious, or giggle and blush every time a sex term is uttered, they may find quite a bit to enjoy in “The Invite.” Nearly two hours of that for yours truly, though, was more exhausting than entertaining.
Much of “The Invite” is built on spousal characters clashing in either arguments or uncomfortable conversations, all in a single location. That in itself isn’t a bad concept for a film. In fact, it’s worked quite well before. In back-to-back years, 2011’s “Carnage” and 2012’s “It’s a Disaster” were released, and each ran with that type of premise in engaging, unique ways.
That, unfortunately isn’t the deal with “The Invite.” For as much as it tries to present itself as this original take on modern relationships, concepts of intimacy in couples and mid-life issues, most of the movie comes across as trite.
As a dramatic comedy, there’s naturally going to be some uncomfortable humor from casual talk about sex being brought up in a mundane setting. However, “The Invite,” penned by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, banks too hard on this. Pretty quickly, the film’s big trump card of awkward comedy runs out of steam.
What’s left after that is a repetitive back and forth between four characters who act more like one-note caricatures that seem to be saying the same things over and over again like a spinning wheel. At times, there are a few chuckle-worthy lines dropped here and there, but these are few and far between.
More often than not, it induces eye rolls. It also doesn’t help that the core relationship that this whole picture is really structured around is never really believable. It’s simply hard to buy Joe and Angela as a long-married couple. Even when the movie brings up times when the two were allegedly happy, it never quite feels authentic.
That’s a major detriment for a movie that’s revolving around these two. During the course of the picture, it was easy for one to think about the sitcom “The King of Queens.” Now, obliviously that show is miles apart in terms of genre and tone than this movie. Not comparing the two. However, the relationship at that show’s core featured a married couple that would get into arguments and have their fair share of back and forth, yet the performers had chemistry and the relationship was actually convincing.
That’s simply not the case with “The Invite.” Now, it’s understandable to an extent that the relationship wouldn’t be portrayed as a completely happy, normal couple. The film is clear in showing that this is a marriage with tension. But there has to be something for the audience to latch on to in terms of this union. We as an audience have to feel that there was at one point some love shared there, and it just doesn’t come across that way.
This especially damages the flick in the third act, when the movie goes for some emotional beats and serious discussions that feel entirely unearned and out of place. It also doesn’t help that part of this section of the movie has a scene where things are literally spelled out for the audience by one of the characters.
To give some grace to the movie, one can at least praise the filmmaking aspects of the picture. The blocking and framing used to keep the picture visually engaging despite taking place in a single apartment is creative. The movie certainly never looks stale. Additionally, the strength of this cast does shine through in a few places.
Yet all four are ultimately hampered by a script that’s not as smart, funny or cutting edge as the filmmakers would have you believe. While there are a few (and I mean few) funny moments, a talented lineup of actors and some technical prowess, “The Invite” is largely a disappointment because of an overreliance on tired humor and forgettable drama, so much so that the film often features a bombastic score as a crutch. 2.25 out of 5.
Photos courtesy Annapurna Pictures, FilmNation Entertainment Pictures and A24
