Olivia Wilde invites you to a night of scandalous decisions and deep self reflection. ‘The Invite’ is an adaptation of the Spanish film and play, The People Upstairs by Cesc Gay. The quartet of Edward Norton, Olivia Wilde, Penélope Cruz, and Seth Rogen come together to take on the subjects of fragility and growth in relationships. We dive into the insecurities and “adult” decisions that shape marriage as an institution and partnerships as a whole. ‘The Invite’ is a momentous step in the right direction for Olivia Wilde’s directorial career.
Joe (Seth) and Angela (Olivia) are struggling to come to terms with bitterness in their lives and a marriage that seems destined to fall apart. Ever-present reminders of their failures in music and self-acceptance constantly surround them and take their toll on the once happy couple. The evening takes a turn as Angela’s dinner invitation to their upstairs neighbors, Hawk (Edward) and Pina (Penélope), is met with an invitation of their own… an engagement of marital passions in a polyamorous setting.
Reflections in the Mirror
The concepts that Olivia Wilde brings to the screen are riveting with her latest installment and are a true triumph since her last film. ‘The Invite’ goes in the opposite direction of said last film, ‘Don’t Worry Darling‘. The audience is confined with the characters themselves: in a city apartment with only four characters throughout the entire film. They are viewed from rotating angles and constant focal shifts in rooms or in mirror reflections. This leaves the audience right there with the characters. We are amidst the chaos, the volley of innuendos, and moments of self-reflection that have us sympathize with every character.
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When in confinement, however, stakes are raised that much more with details. Moments occur when jokes go on for too long, questions towards characters are repeated, and driving factors for entering certain marital agreements are not explained in depth. Though given the heightened emotional states for all parties involved, it is not too far-fetched to believe that one could be caught up in such entanglements for emotions’ sake.
If three is a crowd, four is a…
Wilde took the core elements of the story and wove them together wonderfully. We are shown a powerful combination of said elements that can leave us with a flurry of mixed emotions. Suggestive jokes that interject with near perfect timing. Pity for the characters’ self realization that love isn’t always enough. We even share the shedding of inhibitions in order to “go with the flow” of what the movie alludes to… potential polyamorous passions. Whether they indulge themselves is another question altogether.
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While the story is focused on the main couple of Joe and Angela, we are given a slight inside look at what Hawk and Pina bring to the overly-friendly neighbor dynamic. Edwards Norton’s “Hawk” is true to his name as a hovering body looking for a vantage point over potential couples. While Pina (Penélope Cruz) is a character that the audience may be left wanting to know more about. She is seductive, intelligent, and a mystery yet to be solved by viewers and characters alike.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the audience is rewarded with a film that shows all four actors in their acting elements; going back and forth with humor, body language reactions, awkward silence, and intense moments that beg the question, “Are we really about to do this?”. The comedic gags and conversations were able to land time and time again, even if some of the running jokes did go on for longer stretches than anticipated. And the score of the film, with the string orchestra, worked in tandem with the anxious and uptight moments that would rise and fall to match the stakes and temperature of the current situation. Olivia Wilde did her thing with this one.
