Heated arguments, sexual tension, and the voyeuristic nature of windows. This sums up Olivia Wilde's new, biting comedy, The Invite. Filled with an ensemble cast of Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, Edward Norton, and Olivia herself, the film delivers an unexpected twist on a familiar situation: inviting your neighbours for dinner.
Angela (Olivia Wilde) invites their enigmatic neighbours, Piña (Penélope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton), for dinner, eager to impress them. Angela and her husband Joe (Seth Rogen) grapple with their own passionless marriage while arguing about whether or not to confront their guests about their unusually loud noises in the middle of the night, but unbeknownst to them, their neighbours didn't just come for dinner.
The Invite succeeds in balancing the relatable awkwardness of its premise with sharp comedy that capitalises on the building tension between each of the characters. Films such as this have a tendency to push things too far, using second-hand embarrassment and cringe-comedy as a tool for humour, but The Invite largely avoids this. Rarely did the audience's laughter feel uncomfortable or embarrassed; it felt like it came from a place of genuine amusement.
The couples function as foils to one another: Joe and Angela are angry and neurotic, while Piña and Hawk are laid-back and confident. This dynamic leads to great dialogue and is extremely entertaining to watch, carrying most of the film. The movie mixes up the couples, creating great tonal shifts when cutting from a conversation between Angela and Hawk to Joe and Piña and foreshadowing later events.
One of the script's greatest strengths is it doesn't make you pick sides during arguments. Often both characters are wrong. Their feelings are valid, yet expressed incorrectly. Furthermore, their arguments feel realistic, as they shout over and interrupt each other, constantly fighting to have the last word.
This realism is reinforced by the stellar performances of Olivia Wilde and Seth Rogen. Wilde brings an incredible sincerity to Angela. Her neuroticism and severe anxiety could easily be overplayed and slip into parody, especially in a film as funny as this, but Olivia avoids this, making Angela sympathetic and to some maybe even relatable. Rogen plays her other half, balancing out her people-pleasing tendencies with brutal honesty. He manages to make this character trait endearing; even when he is being horribly rude, there is a certain vulnerability hidden under the surface.
Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz deliver similarly great performances but sadly aren't given as much development as the other two. Especially Norton's character Hawk suffers from this, a lot of his screen time is spent listening to Angela or supporting Piña. Bar one scene, he doesn't really get a moment to shine and show a different side of himself the same way the other characters do.
An aspect of the film that might go unappreciated is the cinematography. The constant and intentional use of hallways, doors, or mirrors to frame the characters is beautifully done. The Invite at first makes closeness feel scarce, utilising doorways to separate characters both physically and emotionally, starving the audience the same way Angela and Joe are. To combat this, certain characters engage in voyeuristic behaviour by way of looking through a window at each other. Whether that is watching their neighbours or watching their partners, this is their way of seeking out intimacy while still being physically separated by the glass. All of this lends extra weight when these partitions are eventually broken, turning even the smallest step towards each other into palpable sexual tension.
The Invite is a hilariously funny and deeply vulnerable conversation about what a healthy relationship truly is. It's a return to form for Olivia Wilde, more in line with Booksmart than Don't Worry Darling, and through its blend of strong personalities and performances, it crafts a gripping narrative that doesn't let go from the opening scene to the credits.