Time: 107 Minutes
Age Rating: R16 – Drug use, sexual references & offensive language
Cast:
Seth Rogen as Joe
Olivia Wilde as Angela
Penélope Cruz as Pína
Edward Norton as Hawk
Director: Olivia Wilde

I didn’t know much about The Invite going in, just that it was Olivia Wilde’s latest movie and would star her, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton. After coming out of the movie however, it immediately shot up to being my current favourite film of the year.

The Invite is a chamber piece movie, outside of the opening sequence, this entire film takes place inside an apartment and is driven by the conversations by the four characters. It’s simple, but so exceptionally written. It’s a pressure cooker movie that’s so chaotic and captivating, you aren’t expecting where the conversations of the movie are going next. It’s a dramedy that also manages its tone well. It’s very funny and witty, with so many punchlines which land hard. It’s definitely an uncomfortable and awkward movie to watch, but it is so successful at delivering on the cringe comedy. I highly recommend checking out The Invite in cinemas for the best experience, especially with a big audience. At the same time, it is also surprisingly emotional and sad. It builds into something quite different by the third act, and I thought the ending landed the way it needed to.

The cast consists of Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton. All of them deliver incredible performances, some of their best, with Wilde and Rogen probably giving their career bests here. The chemistry between everyone is wonderful, their comedic timing and line deliveries are perfect, and they are able to switch between comedy and drama seamlessly.

Olivia Wilde’s direction is exceptional. A lot is done with the cinematography and camerawork, despite the whole movie basically taking place in this one apartment. There’s some excellent use of blocking and good use of mirrors. Additionally, the set design for this apartment is top notch, really helping to set you in this place, and you even feel a little claustrophobic. It feels so palpable and the attention to detail especially helps to characterise the roles played by Olivia Wilde and Seth Rogen. The editing really helps to keep the pace up, and the score from Devonté Hynes is so tense and effective.

The Invite is hilarious, witty, bittersweet, sharply written, wonderfully directed, and with incredible performances. One of the best of the year.