The Invite (2026) Review

Olivia Wilde's directing career has been anything but predictable. She burst onto the scene with the acclaimed ‘Booksmart’ in 2019, before the underwhelming ‘Don't Worry Darling’ became better known for its off-screen drama than its on-screen ambitions. Nevertheless, Wilde remains an intriguing filmmaker, continuing to explore different genres while taking creative risks. She returns to the director's chair with ‘The Invite’, an adaptation of Cesc Gay’s 2020 black comedy ‘Sentimental’ (which, in turn, was an adaptation of his play of the same name).

Written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, ‘The Invite’ follows married couple Joe and Angela, whose already fragile relationship is tested when they invite their enigmatic upstairs neighbours over for dinner. What begins as an awkward evening of forced pleasantries gradually gives way to uncomfortable revelations, exposing long-buried frustrations and prompting Joe and Angela to confront the realities of intimacy, love and commitment.

It is a very entertaining film, both funny and sad. Jones and McCormack’s dialogue is refreshingly natural, making every conversation believable. You feel like a voyeur, peering through the window at a couple's messy, increasingly uncomfortable marriage. Joe and Angela's constant bickering is funny, but it never feels like a sitcom routine. Instead, it reveals two people who have grown frustrated with the lives they built together. Joe is bitter over the failure of his music career, while Angela feels trapped by the monotony of domestic life, longing for the freedom she believes her neighbours have found.

What makes the characters work is that they’re all painted in shades of grey. Joe may be selfish and miserable, but his bitterness comes from a real sense of disappointment. Angela's desire for something more can be frustrating, but it comes from a feeling that she has lost a part of herself. Even Hawk and Piña, who could have easily been reduced to eccentric plot devices, are given surprising depth. At first, Joe and Angela see them as the embodiment of everything they are missing- spontaneous, confident, free-spirited. However, the film gradually reveals that their seemingly perfect relationship is just another performance.

This is where ‘The Invite’ becomes more interesting than a simple relationship comedy. Beneath the awkward moments and conversations is a film about the masks people wear to convince themselves that they are happy. The gathering forces these characters to confront what they want from their own lives. There is a surprisingly melancholic streak running through the film, with Joe and Angela not only questioning their marriage, but mourning the versions of themselves they never became.

The film's approach to sex is not always as successful as its exploration of relationships. While the subject matter allows for funny and revealing moments, some of the more explicit humour feels a little juvenile, relying more on shock value than genuine insight. The irony is that the film's observations about intimacy are at their strongest when it moves beyond the surface-level provocation.

Additionally, things stumble slightly in the final moments. After such an honest and messy exploration of relationships, the conclusion feels too neat, bordering on cliché. It is a resolution that some viewers may find honestly moving (anecdotally, during the screening this reviewer attended, several audience members surprisingly, and quite openly, wept) but for others, it may feel somewhat unearned.

That all might make the film sound a bit sad or deep, but it really is very funny, even if its single-location setting occasionally gives proceedings a slightly stagey feel- understandable given its origins as a play. However, that theatrical foundation also works in its favour, creating an intimate environment where every uncomfortable silence and awkward confession lands. As in Roman Polanski’s ‘Carnage,’ listening to the four characters’ acerbic back-and-forth is a real treat. Although the story does lean on a few familiar relationship comedy conventions, Jones and McCormack's sharp writing, combined with Wilde's confident direction, ensures that ‘The Invite’ remains engaging throughout.

Visually, Wilde’s film is more accomplished than its single-location premise might suggest. Director of photography Adam Newport-Berra’s cinematography makes excellent use of the apartment setting, finding interesting compositions and creating a sense of intimacy between the characters. At times, the warm interiors and ensemble-driven atmosphere recall the classic relationship comedies of Neil Simon, like a modern ‘California Suite’. The lighting is equally effective, helping the film shift between moments of comedy, awkwardness and quiet reflection.

Jade Healy’s production design also deserves credit, creating a believable living space that reflects the personalities and tensions of Joe and, particularly, Angela. Anthony Boys and Yorgos Mavropsaridis’s editing keeps the conversational nature of the film moving at a steady pace, while Devonté Hynes’s score generally complements the tone. At times, however, the music feels a little too insistent, pushing emotions that the performances and screenplay have already conveyed.

The performances are another major strength of ‘The Invite’, with the four central actors creating a believable sense of chemistry and tension. Seth Rogen's Joe is a bitter yet relatable character, and he has rarely been better. Beneath the sarcasm and frustration, Rogen carries with him a sense of weary sadness; you really feel the disappointment of a man who believes he has fallen short of the life he wanted.

Similarly, Olivia Wilde is terrific as Angela, avoiding the trap of portraying her as merely neurotic or attention-seeking. Naturally expressive, Wilde often conveys Angela's thoughts and frustrations through reactions and facial expressions. She reveals the insecurity beneath Angela's desire to reinvent herself, portraying someone who is desperate to feel excitement and purpose again. Her chemistry with Rogen is essential, making their arguments funny but also rooted in affection.

Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz are equally impressive as Hawk and Piña, bringing far more depth to characters who could have easily become caricatures. Norton plays Hawk with a relaxed charm, while hinting at the loneliness beneath his carefree attitude, whereas Cruz gives Piña a fierce intelligence that prevents her from becoming simply an eccentric outsider. Together, they create a fascinating contrast to Joe and Angela, while also revealing that their seemingly perfect relationship is just as complicated.

Olivia Wilde’s ‘The Invite’ is an enjoyable, occasionally messy exploration of love, intimacy and the complicated ways people convince themselves they are happy. Jones and McCormack's screenplay feels refreshingly authentic, while Wilde's confident direction and the excellent performances make the most of the occasionally flawed but highly entertaining material. Ultimately, it is an invitation worth accepting- so don’t forget to R.S.V.P.