Joey Magidson
Too often, a sex comedy is treated as low art. Comedy on the whole can be a genre that suffers as such, but when things get a bit raunchy, you rarely see the work have even the slightest air of prestige. The fact that The Invite is being treated as such is just one of the many reasons that this film is set apart from the pack. From the excellent acting to the strong visuals, not to mention an impeccable screenplay, this is one of the better crafted and performed movies of the year, regardless of genre. Not only is it perfect summer counter-programming, it’s just a 2026 highlight overall.
The Invite builds up to a comedic crescendo as it enters the third act, though once that happens, the flick actually shows a whole new side of itself. What was already an awkward and absolutely hilarious comedy then reveals a deep well of emotion. Even then, when there’s a completely serious and rather affecting monologue delivered in the third act, it’s followed up by a massive laugh. Few films can pull that off.
Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela (Olivia Wilde) were once a happy couple. Now? They’re bickering and all but sick of each other’s very presence in the home. When Joe, who was once a promising musician in a band but now teaches music at a small school, returns to the apartment they inherited from his parents, he’s planning to literally just lay down on the floor. Angela is quick to inform him that he needs to get his act together, as not only are their neighbors coming over, she needed him to pick up wine. A fight ensues, as she gets ready, cooks, and frets over everything, while he does everything he can to have the evening postponed. Then, the guests arrive.
Upstairs neighbors Piña (Penélope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton) show up, all smiles. Angela is falling over herself to impress them, while Joe is barely civil. In fact, he’s long had a bone to pick with them about their loud lovemaking at night. As Angela keeps preventing him from bringing it up, Hawk reveals himself to be a retired firefighter with an appreciation for the rugs Angela has picked out, while Piña is a sex therapist. Angela’s tour of the apartment for Hawk and Joe’s sharing of a joint with Piña open all four up to some unexpected conversations. Then, the quartet sit down for a conversation that changes everything. It’s not a shock what the conversation is about, but the comedy, joy, and ultimately surprise is in seeing what happens not just during, but after as well.
The quartet of Penélope Cruz, Edward Norton, Seth Rogen, and Olivia Wilde are all terrific, doing absolute top tier work. Cruz and Norton are accomplished dramatic actors, so seeing them be the funniest they’ve ever been is an absolute pleasure. Rogen and Wilde have previously walked in both worlds, so it’s less surprising to see them ace these roles, though just as satisfying. That they’re essentially the only people on screen is all the more impressive, as it’s 107 minutes of just them. Cruz mixes a smoldering sexuality with a deep well of emotional understanding, which has Piña always feeling like the smartest person in the room. Hawk is a charmer and almost annoyingly optimistic, but these potentially punchable characteristics to Joe make him appealing to Angela, while they hide a past that gives him a genuine reason to be the way he is. As for the hosts, Wilde’s Angela is desperate to feel something and get out of her rut, which leads to both comedy and drama, while Rogen’s Joe just wants to be left in his rut. This dichotomy leads not just to some laughs, but a sense of realism that makes the jokes land, but the arguments sting as well.
Olivia Wilde directs the hell out of this remake of the Spanish film The People Upstairs, which sports an excellent adaptation by Rashida Jones and Will McCormick. Wilde gives a talky comedy a real visual style, utilizing a strong bit of production design with the apartment setting to give every shot an interesting feel. She also has a knack for capturing her own expressive eyes and face in a way that too few filmmakers do. Jones and McCormick are strong writers and outdo themselves here, always finding the right joke for the moment, as well as landing on some incredibly effective dramatic beats. The arguments have a realism and sting to them that few movies even attempt, let alone pull off. If there’s a knock on the flick, it’s that the final scenes end The Invite in a place that may not prove as satisfying as the previous hour and change or so. It’s a small issue, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I’d hoped for a slightly different ending.
The Invite is smart and even profound, but make no mistake, it’s also a laugh riot. This is a supremely entertaining film with something to say about relationships, sex, and more. I could have watched this movie for another hour, it was so pleasurable to experience. I loved The Invite and this is, to end on a terrible pun, an invitation that you must accept!
SCORE: ★★★1/2
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