THE INVITE : Tuesday 14th July 2026.

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'THE INVITE' at my local independant Odeon this week, and this American comedy film is Directed by Olivia Wilde in her third feature film Directorial outing following 'Booksmart' in 2019 and 'Don't Worry Darling' in 2022. In addition, she has many acting roles in the likes of 'The Girl Next Door' in 2004, 'Alpha Dog' in 2006, 'Cowboys & Aliens' in 2011, 'People Like Us' in 2012, 'Deadfall' also in 2012, 'Rush' in 2013, 'Her' in 2013, 'The Lazarus Effect' in 2015, 'Love the Coopers' in 2015, 'Life Itself' in 2019 and 'Richard Jewell' in 2019, and due for release at the end of this month 'I Want Your Sex'. This film is an English language remake of the Spanish film 'The People Upstairs' Directed by Cesc Gay. The film had its Premiere showcasing at this years Sundance Film Festival in late January, saw its wide release Stateside, the UK and here in Australia last week, has so far grossed US$15M and has garnered universal critical acclaim.

Failed musician Joe (Seth Rogen) arrives home from work having ridden his fold-up bicycle all the way across town only to collapse on the floor the moment he walks in the door, suffering from an aching back. He soon learns that his stay-at-home wife Angela (Olivia Wilde) has invited their upstairs neighbours, divorcee Pina (Penelope Cruz) and widower Hawk (Edward Norton), over for dinner at their apartment, and they are due to arrive in about fifteen minutes. Angela has laid on a lavish spread of cut deli meats and cheeses, and has prepared a souffle which she places in the oven to bake off. Joe and Angela's marriage is on thin ice and they bicker and argue constantly, most recently over the loud sex noises they hear from upstairs every night. Joe plans to confront the couple, but Angela, who is desperate to make friends with their neighbours, demands he keep calm and does not broach the subject.. 

Pina and Hawk arrive at the apartment as Joe and Angela are in mid-argument. Unprepared to host a dinner party, Angela makes several awkward mistakes, such as not having any wine, not checking Pina's dietary restrictions for she doesn't eat meat, cheese or gluten products, and she also burns the souffle which goes straight in the bin. Meanwhile, Joe openly aggravates the couple, but is surprised to see they are impressed by his brutally honest nature. 

The group eventually warm to one another, over a bottle of vintage French red wine gifted to them as a wedding present which they were hoping to save for a special occasion. Joe however, still resents his neighbours for their noise and is deeply troubled when he learns Hawk has seen Angela naked through a window that looks down from their apartment into theirs.

As the evening progresses Pina and Hawk apologise for the noise they make during sex and reveal to Joe and Angela that they participate in regular group sex sessions which is the reason for the noise. Joe and Angela are titillated by this revelation. Pina admits that she and Hawk came to the dinner party hoping to invite Joe and Angela to have group sex with them. Joe and Angela are eager, but Pina, who is a psychoanalyst and sexologist, is unsure after seeing the couple constantly at each others throats throughout the evening. Instead, they decide to swap partners. However, Angela is too nervous to initiate sex with the former fire fighter Hawk, and Joe falls backwards into a bookshelf in his study while dancing with Pina and puts his back out.

Another argument breaks out between Joe and Angela, and he rebukes their neighbours. Pina gets the couple to talk about their relationship, and learns of the resentment they have to each other and the fact they have not had sex in a year. Pina suggests the couple should separate instead of sticking together for the sake of their twelve year old daughter, Maggie, who is away for the night, or find a way to reframe their relationship, as the current status appears to have run its course. Angela and Joe seemingly agree to separate, and discuss their next moves, but upon returning from the kitchen, discover Pina and Hawk have left. Joe returns to his office and plays his piano for the first time in years, with Angela retreating to Maggie's bedroom, but eventually she joins him at the keys. When they have finished playing their musical piece, Angela rests her head on Joe's shoulder.

Here Actress and Director Olivia Wilde has crafted a mature aged comedy that is a throw back to the adult sex comedies of the late '70's and '80's while updating the story with all the emotional heft, laugh out loud moments of razor sharp humour, and modern day sensibilities that make for an engaging time at the movies. The four Actors here all share the screen in equal measure, all have their own pitch perfect lines of dialogue, and all have their moment to shine individually and collectively. This is a film that almost any married couple will be able to relate to at some level, as it is thought provoking in its study of human relationships, the fragility of such and the prospect of second chances. If observing two couples experience the most tense, uncomfortable and stressful supposed dinner party of their middle-aged lives is for you, then you won't be disappointed in this cringe-worthy yet thoroughly engaging film. 

'The Invite' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-