The Invite: The BRWC Review. By Thomas Tobutt.
Having dabbled in a coming-of-age story (Booksmart), and a dystopian thriller (Don’t Worry Darling), Olivia Wilde has ventured out to a romantic comedy for her third directorial feature. The Invite follows resentful couple Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela (also starring Olivia Wilde) as they host their upstairs neighbours Pína (Penélope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton). There is friction between the hosts beforehand, due to the opposing views of the titular invite, with that setting the tone for the entire one-hundred-minute runtime.
Based on the 2020 Spanish film The People Upstairs, this adaptation bathes in the tense and uncomfortable aspects that would haunt any host. Whether that be preparing meat platters for a vegetarian, disagreements with your partners or simply acknowledging details which are easier to ignore. The Invite leans heavily on the uneasy specifics to elevate the comedic response, whilst maintaining a grounded feel.
The individual performances from the four leads are essential to the film’s success. Each share a strong sense of comedic timing with one another, whilst maintaining the realistic immersion. Seth Rogen delivers potentially one of his career best performances, layering deeper levels of emotion on top of his naturally charming persona. Underneath all the bizarre scenarios, there is a serious acknowledgement of souring marriages, and how they evolve over time, particularly once a child is had. It uniquely displays a heart, that most films of a similar kind would have avoided.
The Invite has some huge reveals throughout its narrative, which will not be spoiled in this review. The sheer audacity to include them fits hilariously in with what is establishes throughout the duration. It is fuelled by the intimate environment that crafted such an uncomfortable tone, yet one which was hard to look away from. The natural and clever script ensures that every occurrence happens in a cohesive manner, which maintains the momentum and narrative flow.
Whilst a strong script and convincing performances are essential components to pull off such a concept, they are not solely the recipe for success. The unsettling tone is also maintained through more subtle details, cinematography and sound design. The use of visuals plays directly into the tone, capturing a claustrophobic feeling throughout the apartment. As a main contributor for inviting the neighbours over, the way the film is shot also shows it off to the audience, whilst simultaneously enhancing the style – through clever use of mirrors and reflections. Where the sound design effects the final product is with dictating how the audience should feel. In the more sincere and quieter moments, a gentle score is allowed to play in the background, yet the opposite is done for those flashier moments. A distinct and sharp cello tune shoots out whenever tensions rise, which further enhances that atmosphere.
In a year full of strong comedies, The Invite serves as another addition to that list. Exceling in a relentless feeling of unease and lack of comfortability, it offers so much more than just the initial laughs. The performances all around thrive with the script, with Seth Rogen standing out due to his versatile ability to jump between hilarious and serious. The film is stylish, energetic and absolutely flies by, making for a fun trip to the cinema.
