Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz Deliver Riveting Performances in ‘The Invite’: A Hilarious Dramedy Review

In an era where independent films like “Obsession” trump giant blockbusters such as “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” discussions have surged about the survival of theatrical horror releases. Yet, comedies are often underrated as prime candidates for the big screen. Just as horror movies gain extra intensity from audiences’ shared gasps, comedies enhance their humor when laughter fills a theater.

Enter “The Invite,” a fresh comedy-drama from Olivia Wilde, famed for directing “Booksmart.” This film not only conjures genuine humor but dives into unexpected emotional territories. What starts with absurd antics crescendos into complexity and poignant moments, powered by the eccentric performances of Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz. While initially appearing light, “The Invite” evolves into the kind of thoughtful comedy that echoes the charm of a cinematic golden age.

What do you do when you feel like your relationship might be in a little bit of a rut, and you need to do one single thing out of the ordinary just to prove that you still can? Well, if you’re Angela (Olivia Wilde), you invite your sexy neighbors Hawk and Piña (played by Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz, respectively) over for a proper grown-up dinner party. (Much to the horror of Seth Rogen’s Joe, whose initial reaction of excitement at the appearance of an expertly crafted charcuterie board quickly fades when he realizes there are social strings attached.)

But what starts as a fairly standard dinner party doesn’t quite stay that way. As the night goes on, things begin to change in tone, thanks in part to Hawk and Piña’s unusual interests and Angela’s almost desperate desire for them to like her. She wants to break her and Joe out of their routine and, well … she definitely succeeds on that front. Despite the billing of “The Invite” as a comedy (and don’t worry, it is), there’s also a lot of psychosexual tension at play. Angela’s machinations with her neighbors — who in many ways are foils to her and Joe — are deeply layered, and it’s unclear if she wants to be with them or simply be them.

The staging of “The Invite” is incredibly intimate — it takes place entirely in Angela and Joe’s cozy apartment, and features just the four actors on screen talking among themselves for a little over an hour and 40 minutes. (If it sounds more like a play than a film to you, good eye: It has its roots in Spanish playwright and director Cesc Gay’s “Sentimental,” which was later turned into a Spanish-language film “The People Upstairs.”)

With a project as pared down as this, there’s nowhere for the actors to hide. They need to be firing on all cylinders for the film to work. And although these particular four actors might not seem like they would bounce off each other naturally at first glance, they have a remarkable rapport on screen, each finding their moments to shine. At times, it feels like they’re all acting in slightly different versions of the film, but surprisingly, it works. 

Edward Norton and Olivia Wilde lean into the comedic elements of “The Invite” more, with Norton zeroing in on the farcical nature of relationships and Wilde delivering a much broader performance. Penélope Cruz settles into her role with charisma and sex appeal, a fact that Angela hardly fails to notice. (The dynamic between these two very different women is one of the most interesting in the film.) And Seth Rogen, who after his work in “The Fabelmans” is quickly developing a knack for this sort of understated performance, taps into something subtle yet earnest and heartfelt. He in particular mines the depths of his character, producing gems seemingly out of thin air.

If you’re looking for action or perhaps a more traditional sex comedy, “The Invite” might not strike the right chords for you. But as a dramedy that taps into the inherent humor of what it means to be married and the choices we make about whether to grow together or apart in our relationships, it’s an unexpectedly elegant production that makes the most of its four talented performers. In the end, “The Invite” manages to perfectly thread the needle between begging for laughs and finding genuinely honest and authentic moments.

“The Invite” hits theaters on July 10.