There is a particular kind of tension that only exists at a dinner party. Everyone is polite, the food is good, and yet one careless remark can expose years of quiet frustration. Olivia Wilde’s new film The Invite, now streaming on HBO Max, builds an entire comedy around that feeling, and it does so with impressive confidence.
The setup is simple. A married couple whose relationship has gone stale invites the neighbors from upstairs for dinner. The guests are relaxed, flirtatious and remarkably frank about what keeps their own partnership alive. As the wine flows, the conversation drifts further than anyone expected, and the hosts are forced to look at problems they have been carefully avoiding.
The cast is a big reason the film works. Seth Rogen plays a husband who hides behind jokes, Wilde brings a restless edge to his frustrated wife, and Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz clearly enjoy playing the guests who know exactly what they are doing. The script, adapted from a Spanish comedy that has already been remade in several countries, comes from Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, who know how to make awkward moments land with heart.
What makes The Invite feel fresh is its honesty about long relationships. It talks openly about boredom, desire and routine without mocking its characters. The laughs come from recognition rather than humiliation, which is why many viewers will see a little of themselves at that table.
For more on the cast, the original film and the early critical reaction, read the Xaldris piece on Olivia Wilde’s dinner-party comedy. It might be the perfect film to watch with your partner, as long as you are ready for an honest conversation afterward.
