7/7 🪩🪩🪩🪩🪩🪩🪩
The Invite is a great film that is extremely stressful, seriously funny, and deeply human. The all-star cast might be the best ensemble I’ve seen all year. Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton are perfectly cast, and the intimacy of spending nearly the entire film with just these four characters makes every awkward silence, joke, and emotional blow hit even harder.
What I loved most about The Invite is just how wonderfully human it is. A24 might get some criticism for supporting AI, but one thing I continue to appreciate is how its films showcase the complexities of human relationships and our deepest desires. This is easily one of the best-written comedy-dramas I’ve seen this year. The conversations feel uncomfortable, hilarious, painful, and incredibly real.
The camera work is wonderfully eclectic and beautifully executed. I love that Olivia chose to use actual film. The texture is amazing. Just as the apartment itself feels thoughtfully crafted and lived in, so does every frame of the film. There is a warmth to the cinematography that simply feels good to watch on the big screen. Even with such a confined setting, the film never feels visually boring. Also the lamps… love the lamps!
The sound design is also incredibly effective. The film doesn’t lean heavily on music, but when the music does come in, it plays an important and often touching role. Most of the movie is driven by dialogue, and thankfully, every member of this cast delivers it wonderfully. With a film this intimate, the performances have nowhere to hide and that’s exactly what makes them so impressive. Honestly, I think this is some of Seth Rogen’s best work in years. Of course, The Studio is in a category of its own, but when it comes to romantic comedies and dramas, he is fantastic here. The entire ensemble is firing on all cylinders.
I found myself laughing through most of the film. There are definitely moments when the story gets much more serious, but the balance between comedy and drama is handled beautifully. The humor never completely undercuts the emotional weight, and the heavier moments never erase how genuinely funny the film is.
The Invite is stressful, hilarious, intimate, and deeply human. Make sure you go see this one!
Emotion: 7/7
Editing & Story: 7/7
Visuals: 7/7
Images and references to The Invite are used solely for editorial and review purposes. All rights to the film, characters, imagery, and related materials remain with A24, the film’s production and distribution partners, and their respective owners.