The Invite: A Between-Couples Comedy with Cringe Laughs and, Ultimately, Honesty
By John Kirk
Rating: A
It’s amazing the comic storytelling that can happen with a small, talented cast, an intelligent script and an adult premise that’s simple in concept but intricate in execution.
The Invite, directed by and co-starring Olivia Wilde, is a film based on a Spanish comedy released internationally as The People Upstairs It explores the nature of relationships, sex and commitment and begins with an Oscar Wilde quote: “One should always be in love. That is the reason why one should never marry.”
Olivia Wilde and Penelope Cruz ponder the possibilities in The Invite.
Frustrated married couple Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela (Wilde) are preparing for a dinner date with the new couple who have moved into their building. Joe rails against the idea, miserable on both job and marriage fronts, while Angela is strangely captivated by the enigmatic and loudly passionate couple from upstairs: Hawk (Edward Norton) and Pena (Penélope Cruz). In the end, the date still happens.
When they arrive, the resentment from Joe opens the gate for a flurry of startling and hilarious reveals that start the film’s cringe roller-coaster rolling from one stage to the next.
First, the title is a clever trick. The idea of an invitation to dinner is the obvious meaning to the film. However, the double-entendre behind the title becomes apparent about 40 minutes into the film. The performances, the clever photography of the proximities to each character and the writing eventually guide the audience to its destination.
The pace of this film is the key to its success. The comedy back-and-forth is carefully planned with paired scenes, allowing relationships to develop, and with shared ensemble work that reveals the real reason for the get-together. Each reveal is strategically set up to move the story along to introspective character heights and completely wince-worthy lows.
The script is terrific, and Seth Rogen is particularly adept in making a seemingly harmless action or statement stand out. His performance speaks honesty, whether he is trying to prove how seductive he can be, or repressing ill-timed rage. Not to say the rest of the cast don’t contribute, but it’s Rogen who seizes the audience’s attention.
It’s an adult comedy in which the concepts of fidelity and sexuality are explored, both in and out of traditional relationship boundaries. The situational “funny” happens when Joe and Angela consider and explore options inside their marriage. But that’s also when a closer look at their relationship occurs and they discover harsh truths about themselves.
Hawk and Pena are part of the process. When their backgrounds are explored, their character flaws come to light and that not only throws doubt into the equation but also forces Joe and Angela to think again.
There’s a definite dialectic here. The two couples’ mix creates into unexpected changes of direction that prevents the one-scene, one-act story from getting stale. If the audience isn’t laughing, they’re contemplating the new situation.
There’s also a moral dimension to the film as well. When couples forget why they fell in love, then it’s important to stop and try to remember those reasons. It’s a bit of an obvious moral, but it’s a solid anchor the story amidst the chaotic energy of the script.
In the end though, it’s those basics that allow the story to solidly and resoundingly land. Those in a relationship might gravitate to it as a “what if” curiosity and maybe later as a witty cautionary tale.
The Invite is a film to see. If not for its ideas, then for the belly-aching, cringe-ridden comedy. It’s an intelligent look at adult relationships, with an ultimately hopeful and positive outlook. And as with all things, laughter makes it easier to digest.
The Invite. Directed by Olivia Wilde. Written by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones. Starring Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Edward Norton, and Penelope Cruz. In select theatres July 3 and nationwide July 10.