Don’t pull the thread if you aren’t ready for what unravels
Olivia Wilde’s The Invite turns one uncomfortable evening into a sharp, hilarious, and surprisingly honest look ate relationships.
The moment has finally come. The first 5/5 of 2026 has been declared. I’ve waited and waited for a film to truly knock my socks off and was beginning to fear the moment might never come. However, The Invite found its way to the top. Believe me when I say the theatrics are necessary when referencing this masterpiece. The Invite brought an energy to the table I have not seen in another film all year.
Directed and produced by Olivia Wilde, The Invite is a dark comedy layered with real discoveries about the inner workings of long-term romantic relationships. The film class into question what the true test of compatibility versus comfortability really is. The story chronicles one singular evening, where Angela (Olivia Wilde) and Joe (Seth Rogen) invite their strange upstairs neighbors Pina (Penélope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton) over for dinner. There is something so unique about a film that chronicles only one time frame, in this case the dinner. To have a small ensemble cast of only four people kept a tight knit feel to the film, that if done the wrong way could have caused the audience to feel bored, yet it did the complete opposite. There was not one moment that felt disengaging to the audience.
The layers beneath this film are what catapulted it to one of the best films of the year. There is something so intriguing about seeing the characters relationships unravel before your very eyes. In particular, the facade Angela attempts to put up in front of the guests while her husband Joe stands as the biggest obstacle to that picture perfect image she wants so desperately to present about their lives. Doesn’t that speak true to the internal conflicts so many relationships face? A difference of perspective on honesty. The contrast between those in relationships that believe honesty is the cure for all while others believe not every thought needs to be brought to life without considering the nuances behind it. Neither perspective is inherently wrong, but when a pairing of the two are met with challenges that test these perspectives— the thread is pulled too far to be put back into place. Films that dissect the inner workings of relational dynamics in all different formats are the most intriguing to the human experience.
The conversational dialogue between the characters was exceptionally real. There is an artistic challenge to creating a dialogue space in a film that feels so natural is can make the audience visually uncomfortable. Something as simple as talking over each other in film and media is a key detail. Oftentimes, I find that one little note can separate an entire film from feeling organic to overly scripted. Every argument and Conversation between Angela and Joe felt like the bones of a disagreement everyone has seen or experienced at some point.
The natural escalation of the plot was seamless. The buildup was intense but with a cohesive flow, and the fallout felt necessary and oddly peaceful. Seeing Seth in this role was refreshing. He brought a likable cadence to a character that is deeply flawed, which made it harder for him to be called into question. I don’t think there was a more perfect person for this role. Olivia is a genius. She had a vision for this film and executed it phenomenally. She brought a mirror to her character and held it up to the audience, causing her to teeter on the line of un-likability, simply because we might not like the parts of ourselves we see back. Everyone needs to see this.
Shelby Ferguson
