The Invite

Nineteenth Century Irish novelist, playwright and raconteur Oscar Wilde, widely known for his witticisms and observations about life, is generally credited for the following arguably astute advice: “One should always be in love. That is the reason why one should never marry.” And it’s most fitting that those very words should eloquently serve as a cinematic epigraph at the start of the latest feature from actress-director Olivia Wilde, her best work behind the camera to date. Based on the 2020 Spanish comedy-drama, “Sentimental” (released domestically as “The People Upstairs”), t...

You get a sense right from the start that the marriage between "Joe" (Seth Rogan) and "Angela" (Olivia Wilde) is running on the fumes of what it once was - and that it has been for a while. He returns home from his mundane work as a music teacher to find that she has invited their neighbours for a continental supper. He has no recollection of this having been discussed, but his grump soon has to be restrained when "Piña" (Penélope Cruz) and "Hawk" (Edward Norton) arrive. Not unsurprisingly, they quite quickly read the scenario and suggest that this maybe isn't the best time, but "Angela" ins...

A stage play refined / Non-monogamy, no shame / Mature hearts only

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Check out my full review @ https://www.manuelsbento.com/the-invite-2026-four-brilliant-actors-and-the-years-most-electric-dinner-party/

Rating: B+

Olivia Wilde's THE INVITE might be her best film yet — a sharp, funny, and surprisingly moving dinner party gone sideways, carried by a quartet of actors clearly having the time of their lives. Edward Norton, Wilde herself, Penélope Cruz, and Seth Rogen all bring their A-game to a story about two very different couples discovering that honesty, however messy, beats the alternative. It occasionally repeats its own beats, but this is still on...

"The Invitation" takes a hard look at how easily basic politeness can fall apart behind closed doors. The movie traps us in a dinner party between neighbors that quickly turns into a real-time breakdown of a marriage. It is an uncomfortable watch because it forces the audience to deal with some ugly truths about relationships and the fragility of love. While the setup creates a lot of tension and sets the stage for great social drama, the film ultimately ends up being a mixed bag that struggles to balance genuine emotion with pure theatricality.

The cast is a bit of a rollercoaster when it ...