Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut, “Booksmart,” proved as woke as clinically possible, but she still flexed her potential behind the camera.
“Don’t Worry Darling” (2022) proved more ambitious, but the story’s flaws couldn’t be contained. It still highlighted the actress-turned-director’s vision.
Wilde finally sticks the landing with “The Invite,” a rollicking tale with a limited setting but strong comic appeal. Sure, co-star Seth Rogen is playing Seth Rogen once more.
The film’s crackerjack pacing, sly dialogue and hilarious moments flood the screen, and Wilde keeps it all under tight, impressive control.
It might be the funniest film of the year. It’s certainly the most awkward to watch.
Angela (Olivia Wilde) and Joe (Seth Rogen) look anything but happy as the film opens. They’ve been married for some time and adore their (off-screen) daughter, but they’ve raised bickering to an art form.
It only makes sense for Joe to cry foul when Angela invites their upstairs neighbors over for dinner. Heck, they fight over every element in their lives, from the folding bike Joe rides to work to the smell of pot in their home.
The couple in question, Pína (Penélope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton), raise the roof (and the noise levels) with their lovemaking.
That’s the only thing Joe wants to talk about with them, and Angela is aghast at the thought of it.
The neighbors strike Angela as cool, and she desperately wants to impress them at all costs. Thus begins a long, talky affair that’s never dull and often hilarious.
Pína and Hawk are gracious to a flaw, while Angela and Joe make every social miscue possible, attempting to be good hosts. There’s something unspoken here, and while it may feel like a cinematic trick, the reveals happen as organically as possible.
So do the laughs.
Rogen leads the way, but Wilde’s mugging comes a close second. They feel like a real couple on the edge, and their ability to pick at their marital scabs is oddly impressive.
And scary.
It’s sex, love, friendship, relationships and fear all rolled into a film that should feel like a stage play but never does. Wilde’s camera work is agile and kinetic, using the right closeups to hammer home a gag or emotional through line.
What doesn’t work? There’s a shift in the story mid-film, and it’s hard to buy that everyone who rolls with the flow would do so willingly. Especially Joe.
The third act grows surprisingly dark, and even here Wilde commands the tonal shifts well. You won’t see the end coming, nor will you mind its bittersweet edge.
After all, everything preceding it could be described as anything but.
Cruz and Norton are terrific despite roles that could be cartoonish or predictable. Yes, they’re progressive in their social attitudes, but they appear more genuine and three-dimensional than we expect. Credit screenwriters Rashida Jones and Will McCormack for the sturdy, rich dialogue that traffics in real emotional insights.
That screenplay is so ripe that the film’s humor gets taken for granted. You’ll laugh more here than in most traditional comedies, and you won’t feel guilty at any point. It’s fiber-rich laughter with few empty calories.
“The Invite” is both a raucous social satire and a red flag for couples who lean into their dustups a mite too eagerly.
HiT or Miss: “The Invite” finds Olivia Wilde blossoming into the director we sensed she could be all along.
The post ‘The Invite’ Takes Hilarious Look at Marital Miscommunication appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.
from Movies - Hollywood in Toto https://ift.tt/k63sgdP
0 Comments