The Invite
Written by Anthony “Ant” Johnson

As the music played, the credits rolled, and people began to exit the theater, all I could do was be still. My brain wasn’t ready to allow the rest of me to move just yet. It instead wanted me to process what I had just experienced. Immobilized, I was forced to conclude what The Invite means to me and why. I had just been nudged for 1 hour and 47 minutes into an intense place of anxiety and discomfort. However, as uncomfortable as I felt because of multiple triggers throughout the film, rather than exit, I needed to reflect. I don’t know about you, but I don’t necessarily want that mood at the end of a film.

The Invite is contemplative, to say the least. Interesting? Not so much. Centered around a married couple, Joe and Angela (Seth Rogen and Olivia Wilde), wearily navigating the labyrinth of matrimony, they’ve extended an invitation to their neighbors, Hawk and Piña (Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz), for dinner at their apartment. Charcuterie board, wine, and drama is served. The ensemble cast meets the requirements to generate a groundswell of topics to debate — though not all of them land equally. I’ve never been a big fan of Seth Rogen, always mildly comical at best. Joe feels like a character intended to be twice as funny as he actually is, leaving me watching a grumpy middle-aged guy doing what grumps do.

Marriage can mean many things to many individuals, and the script does a respectable job of creating the playground to explore the reasons why. Warning — if your marriage is on the fence, The Invite will either be the final nail in the coffin or the rebirth of a rewarding union. This is only possible through patient writing, rich dialogue, and an honest story. Some may receive The Invite as a dramedy. I believe determining whether you agree will come down to two things: 1) how funny you find Joe’s character, and 2) based on your life’s experiences, what marriage means to you, if anything. I didn’t find Joe to be very funny and received it as a heavy drama with a dash of comedy.

My Verdict: There are many interesting things about a marriage, but watching a couple drudge through a hectic day wondering how they got there ain’t one of them. It did leave me in my seat wondering the same thing. #jk One of the cornerstones of film is lining up for a cinematic dose of escapism, and I somehow ended up in the wrong line. Instead, The Invite was the line for an almost two-hour therapy session that I didn’t schedule. Nevertheless, it is a competent film that meets all the requirements — minus the escapism. I sound like I’m sitting on the parole board instead of critiquing a film. Well, with the power vested in Ant, parole has been granted for a thought-provoking and reflective film — however, six months in a halfway house, because it is baked in a tiresome casserole of marriage sh*t. The Invite is a 6/10. That is my honest recommendation. I stand by it.

Ant’s Score: 6/10