Soufflé is on the menu, but much more is on the table in Olivia Wilde’s latest directorial effort, “The Invite.” The film, a chamber comedy centered on a married couple whose relationship is strained, invites their upstairs neighbors over for an impromptu gathering. This familiar setup serves as a backdrop for a story that, while sometimes revealing its narrative gears, offers a welcome and modern twist on the traditional comedy of manners.
Wilde's third film as director, “The Invite” is considered her best, surpassing the promising high school comedy “Booksmart” and the less successful “Don’t Worry Darling.” The current film appears to be more in her directorial wheelhouse, amplified by her own “brilliantly comic performance” that sets the film apart.
The story introduces Joe (Seth Rogen), an associate professor at a music conservatory, and his wife, Angela (Wilde), as they navigate their San Francisco apartment. Their immediate friction is exacerbated by the impending arrival of their neighbors for dinner, a fact that Angela, desperate to impress, has prepared for with new acquisitions. Joe’s primary concern, however, is to lodge a noise complaint about the neighbors’ loud, early-morning sexual activity, a topic Angela is hesitant to address.
The arrival of the upstairs neighbors, Pína (Penélope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton), immediately introduces a charged atmosphere. Hawk embraces it, stating, “We love a contentious environment.” The film, written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, is based on the Spanish film “The People Upstairs” by Cesc Gay.
Pína and Hawk are presented as an unconventional couple. Hawk is a firefighter, and Pína, played with glamour by Cruz, is a psychotherapist and sexologist. Their confident and self-aware demeanor contrasts sharply with Angela’s palpable anxiety and yearning for what they seem to possess. Wilde delivers a “neurotic tour de force,” with her character’s attempts to manage the escalating, awkward situations, such as discreetly discarding a burned soufflé, highlighting the film's comedic tension.
The script expertly weaves personal topics like perimenopause and sexual regularity with more mundane subjects. While the film might have benefited from a more understated score, Dev Hynes’ heavy-handed strings reflect Angela's tense state. The title, “The Invite,” refers to an offer made mid-evening, when Pína and Hawk confess their noise complaints stem from sex parties and inquire if Angela and Joe would be interested in a foursome.
The film explores the couple's willingness to engage with this proposition and the deeper themes of marital stasis and openness to new experiences. Joe, who once had a one-hit wonder song titled “One Girl,” has stopped playing the piano, symbolizing a creative and emotional standstill. A quotation from Oscar Wilde, Angela’s namesake, “One should always be in love. That is the reason one should never marry,” sets a tone that the film ultimately subverts.
Contrary to what might be inferred, “The Invite” is presented not as an anti-monogamy film, but rather as a narrative about personal transformation and embracing new experiences. This theme is eloquently articulated by Norton's character, Hawk, whose surprising monologue transforms what could have been a caricature into a genuinely insightful reflection on relationships. Despite its risqué premise, the film offers a thoughtful exploration of connection and change.
“The Invite” is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for sexual material, language throughout, and drug use. The film has a running time of 107 minutes and received three and a half stars out of four.