Nate At The Movies

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.

In a month dominated by the impending release of The Odyssey—sure to be a Best Picture nominee, if not the frontrunner—it’ll be difficult for any other movies to grab people’s attention. The live-action Moana will surely make a billion dollars, but from this film critic to you, The Invite could be one of the best new movies out this summer. I had a feeling I was in for a good one hearing how Olivia Wilde got a standing ovation and started a bidding war at Sundance, but my high expectations were exceeded.

All I knew about The Invite was that I was getting into a “talking movie”, which usually have mixed results for me, but The Invite grabbed me from its opening seconds and thrilled with quick, creative, hilarious talking. This was the second-funniest movie I’ve seen this year, just behind Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, and each of the four actors brought their comedic A-game. The dialogue sounded so natural and honest, with Rogen and Wilde’s characters saying all the things I bet every couple has thought at dinner with another couple. Not only might this be Seth Rogen’s funniest performance I’ve seen, but he also showed some real acting chops—ones I haven’t seen since The Fabelmans. I related to his character hard, because I’d be that same level of awkward and sarcastic at a couple dinner I didn’t want to be at. Olivia Wilde’s physicality was impressive, too, especially in her wacky facial expressions, and Cruz and Norton didn’t slack as the idyllic, pro-sex couple whose story got crazier with each sentence.

I would’ve been content with The Invite staying in the lane they established in the first act—super awkward dinner and great, rude one-liners from Rogen—but where this story went was unexpected, hilarious, and super sensual. Every person I tell this movie about needs to go in blind, because the turn this movie takes shouldn’t be spoiled. As the couples descended further, everything got funnier, and the audible laughs in my theater got louder. I rarely laugh out loud in a theater, but this movie got me multiple times. What was so impressive, though, was how quickly and profoundly this movie turned in its final scenes. The groundwork had been laid for serious conversations to be had, but Wilde’s ability as a director and actress to pivot that effortlessly really helped the ending land as hard as it did. It was sobering, violent, and sweet, somehow—I’m not sure how they did it so well.

The Invite did so many things well that I haven’t even mentioned yet, from its great score and needle drops to its use of space, making the apartment feel like it had so many unique, dynamic locations. Wilde got the most out of her cast, setting the example for them with her own great performance, and as a director, she’s firmly back in the good graces of Hollywood after Don’t Worry Darling’s shaky reception. Usually, a movie with marital conflict and arguing at its center wouldn’t be one I’d want to rewatch so soon, but The Invite is an exception. Equally funny and heartfelt and uncomfy in the best way, I wasn’t surprised that The Invite was good, but its ability to be an absolute treat was unexpected. I’ll be recommending this to every couple I know that I think could handle it; I could see this one breaking up shakier pairings in the theater (kidding, of course).