‘The Invite’ Review: Olivia Wilde and Seth Rogen Relationship Drama Overstays Its Welcome

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Olivia Wilde’s film, The Invite, is a throwback to classic movies where watching attractive people unravel and fight is the main appeal. Following her previous film, Don’t Worry Darling, which received negative reviews, The Invite starts with dramatic tension but ultimately becomes a more sorrowful and bleak story. The film focuses on two couples having dinner, where carefully arranged appetizers are served as they reveal hidden truths, longings, and grudges. Each conversation feels incredibly delicate, like experts carefully disarming a bomb.

I just finished watching The Invite, and what struck me most was how brilliantly it captures the uncomfortable dance we all do in social situations – that gap between what people say and what they really mean. If you’re someone who cringes at second-hand embarrassment, be warned: this movie pushes those boundaries! The four leads deliver fantastic performances, and director Wilde, along with the stunning cinematography, creates something truly special. It feels like a cohesive, well-crafted film, even though the deeper themes sometimes clash a bit with the very grounded, realistic story being told.

Outside of the opening scene, the entire movie The Invite takes place inside the home of Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela (Olivia Wilde). Director Newport-Berra skillfully uses the camera to make the house feel both spacious and unsettling. The film subtly reveals the strain in Joe and Angela’s relationship – they seem like a couple on the verge of collapse. When Joe comes home from work, Angela confronts him about forgetting to bring wine for a dinner party. Joe claims he didn’t know about it, and during the ensuing argument, the camera moves through the house, showing the scene from both their perspectives. The shadows seem to grow, the darkness outside feels more intense, and even simple spaces like the distance between the dining table and kitchen feel distorted. Newport-Berra effectively captures how familiar surroundings can become deeply unsettling during a fight with someone you love, creating a genuinely chilling atmosphere.

Director Wilde expertly brings to life a script by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, who keenly observe how little things – like forgetting to buy wine – can spark much larger arguments in long-term relationships. These small issues often bring hidden frustrations to the surface. The film captures the raw emotions between Joe and Angela, showing them through subtle cues and body language, even when they avoid directly confronting their problems.

The couple is forced to be more honest with each other, especially when Joe announces during a dinner party that their loud intimacy has been disturbing their neighbors, Hawk and Pína. Angela is mortified and desperately tries to prevent him from bringing it up. This scene, where Joe and Angela bicker and compete while attempting to host their guests, is the film’s strongest point, showcasing the talents of the entire cast. Seth Rogen delivers a standout performance, revealing the surprisingly sympathetic side of his flawed character – a man who believes he’s the smartest one in the room. Olivia Wilde, meanwhile, perfectly portrays Angela’s attempts to mask her true feelings, convincingly playing a woman who prioritizes being agreeable above all else, even to her own detriment.

Watching Cruz and Norton feels like looking into a possible future for Joe and Angela – a pretty unsettling one, honestly. They show what life could become if Joe and Angela keep going down the path they’re on. Despite all the nice things – the parties, the good food, even their success – it’s clear something’s deeply wrong. It’s like they’re drifting, forgetting what really matters, and realizing they traded their dreams for an easy, comfortable life. It makes me worry about where they’re headed.

Despite strong acting, the movie struggles to decide if it wants to be a lighthearted comedy or a serious drama. As the evening progresses, the characters drop their polite facades and reveal the problems within their relationships. We see real, complex issues emerge – like Joe abandoning his ambitions and pulling Angela down with him, and Angela’s constant need for approval preventing genuine connection. These conflicts are compelling and deserve to be examined.

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The main issue with The Invite is that its serious tone doesn’t match the simple solutions it suggests. The therapist character, Pína, asks if Angela and Joe have thought about separating given their issues, and the film quickly focuses on separation as the only path to happiness. This feels limiting – don’t Joe and Angela have friends, family, or other resources they could turn to for help or mediation? By framing the situation this way, the film makes its characters seem illogical and less believable as their problems worsen. It’s frustrating to watch well-developed characters act so unreasonably when other options seem available.

While the actors in The Invite deliver strong performances, the film’s story doesn’t quite come together. It tries to feel authentic and explore real-life issues, but ultimately relies on predictable and superficial ideas, making it difficult to fully recommend. Life is complicated, and this movie doesn’t quite capture that depth.

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2026-01-30 21:34