Quick Review: The Invite (2026)
just a little dinner party
Introduction
Every once in a while, we get a film where it just feels like everyone was locked in while making it. It feels like everyone that is part of the production is on the same wavelength and they create something that’s unforgettable. After the controversial Don’t Worry Darling, I think many were wondering what Olivia Wilde would do next. Would she end up in directors jail or find a way to make something else? We would get that result with this film. Unlike Don’t Worry Darling, this is a much lower budget film and with all the great buzz it was getting, I was curious to see how this would turn out. After watching it, The Invite has taken the top spot as my favorite film of the year so far with how impressive everything is about it.
Review
The story of The Invite is simple. It’s about a couple that invite their neighbors over for a dinner party and things unravel over those next couple hours. While the set up is simple, the execution of this story really surprised me with the directions it decides to go and how engaging it was. While we are in one place for basically the whole duration, the film does so much to make sure you’re engaged with it the entire time. I like that it commits to it and doesn’t try to move away from this setting. It’s also a very funny movie and while tensions are brewing and things are getting cringy, you can’t help but laugh with what’s going on at times. It also manages to be serious when it needs to and it creates sequences that surprised me with how beautifully executed it was. It kinda feels like watching a play with how the story is framed, but it does a lot that brings so much more to it than you would think this type of story would do. The story is great to watch unfold and I loved it.
With a film only having 4 characters, it’s important that each of the characters get their spotlight and likely that is very much the case here. All the characters in this film are fantastic to watch on display. I think it’s honestly a career best or at least some of the best performances I’ve seen from each of these actors. Seth Rogen does his usual thing, but it feels like he’s more focused on delivering some very clever and funny line deliveries here that make this performance work so well. Olivia Wilde is anxious and chaotic through the whole thing that makes for some of the funniest scenes of the movie. Penélope Cruz has this mystique to her character that brings a sense of tension to everything else surrounding the characters that I loved seeing from her. Finally we have Edward Norton who probably does the least amount when it comes to the characters, but the subtle stuff that surrounds his character as well as the unexpected nature of him is what makes him work in this. This film also has some very clever writing and dialogue that is the cherry on top for it all. While it has a small cast, all the performances in this are fun to watch and everyone brought something to the table that makes the film work in its favor.
What’s really impressive about the film is how technically impressive it is for only using one location. The score elevates scenes and brings tension into it. When things calm down, something happens and the score kicks in to make it more intense. It brings a lot to the film. The set design is also really amazing. The apartment was filmed on a soundstage and I just find it impressive how much they were able to do with this small setting. There’s a lot of detail in the apartment that gives it personality and makes the apartment a character of its own. The cinematography choices as well make some smart choices in telling this story. Even the costume design works for the film and the clothes and colors that the characters wear tell you so much about the characters as well. There’s a lot that the film was doing that I found a deep appreciation for and the more I think about it, the more I love that those choices were made.
The Invite on the surface is a simple concept and something that if any of the pieces were moved away from one another, I don’t think this film works as well as it does. But because of the way it’s framed, it makes everything fall in line so well and it makes for an experience that is unforgettable. The audience I watched it with was locked in and it seemed like everyone I was watching with it understood the assignment which is rare. I’m so glad that Olivia Wilde was able to make this and I look forward to seeing what she decides to take on next. This film is a special one.
Final Thoughts
The Invite is one of the best films of the year and it takes something that could easily been told in a boring way and decides to add so many layers to it that makes it more worthwhile as a result. Everyone that worked on it deserves their flowers for creating an unforgettable experience. When we look back at this year in films, this is one people will be talking about.