Sundance Review: The Invite is an Outstanding Romantic Comedy

      One of the great joys of Sundance is witnessing a film generate enough excitement to become the highlight of the festival. Seats become hard to come by, and an unmistakable energy electrifies those screenings. Just as gaining entry to a showing of Celine Song’s Past Lives was a formidable challenge, this year, Olivia Wilde’s The Invite similarly captured attention with its uproarious humor about contemporary relationships. I'm pleased to confirm that the anticipation is justified.

      While modest in scope, Wilde orchestrates her small ensemble to create something far greater than the individual contributions. She skillfully escalates the tension in a relationship that has turned volatile due to years of complacency and ineffective communication, using staccato strings to build momentum until it peaks, only to ebb and flow again. With just four main actors, including herself, and a single apartment setting, achieving this is a remarkable accomplishment that highlights her growth from actress to director.

      The Invite opens with a nod to another Wilde. "One should always be in love. That is the reason one should never marry," says Oscar Wilde, a playful warning that foreshadows complications ahead. Wilde embodies the self-aware and eager-to-please Angela, a modern woman intent on applying the vast cultural insights she's gained from podcasts and social media. Her desire for meaningful engagement clashes with the cynical outlook of her husband Joe (Seth Rogen), a music teacher lacking passion for his vocation or anything else. Their stagnant marriage has become routine and fraught, leading to a comedically swift exchange of banter.

      Once again, a Seth Rogen character encounters significant neighbor issues. This time, it's with the residents of the apartment above, whose noisy, intimate activities echo into their sexless home—and, much to Joe’s dismay, Angela has invited them over for an impromptu dinner party. She's gone all out to impress psychotherapist and sexologist Pina (Penélope Cruz) and retired firefighter and rug aficionado Hawk (Edward Norton). Angela is eager to extend a warm welcome to the affectionate couple while grappling with Joe’s disdain towards them. Pina and Hawk's extroverted sincerity represent an idealized relationship for Angela, which Joe's barely concealed contempt undermines. The evening unfolds as a chaotic blend of personalities, marked by revealed secrets and the collapse of polite facades under the weight of their honesty.

      In Wilde’s third feature, adapted from Cesc Gay’s Spanish comedy The People Upstairs, every cast member excels. Rogen perfectly embodies the relatable everyman with his distinctive gritty delivery. Wilde's Angela admires Pina and Hawk, who share a close bond, while she and Joe maintain their unhealthy distance. As the two miserable individuals, starved of connection, absorb the warmth radiating from their neighbors, they begin to unveil parts of themselves that have long been tightly held.

      Screenwriters Will McCormack and Rashida Jones have crafted an excellent adaptation that resonates with the audience while maintaining a comfortable distance for humor. Most impressive is Wilde's direction, transforming this 108-minute, nearly single-setting film into one of the decade’s most energetic comedies. Within her three features, it’s clear that she feels most at ease as a filmmaker when creating comedies. Like in Booksmart, she possesses a talent for timing and character dynamics. Her second film, Don’t Worry Darling, was a larger-scale production that tackled social science fiction and explored numerous ideas that ultimately felt disjointed. What's evident is her strong vision, and I appreciated the bold approach, considering her gained momentum. The Invite seems to synthesize the strengths of her previous works. The framing and blocking effectively narrate the story independently, sustaining the dynamic nature of the chamber comedy. Adam Newport-Berra filmed it on 35mm, giving The Invite an aesthetic reminiscent of its elegantly comedic predecessors, like those by Nora Ephron and Mike Nichols. She appears to be an artist unwilling to confine herself to any one genre; Hollywood should continue to facilitate her exploration as a filmmaker.

      Experiencing Wilde’s latest film in a full theater felt reminiscent of a bygone era. With comedies scarce at the box office, it’s been years since I’ve seen a theater that so fully engaged and delighted in the onscreen antics, where shared laughter drowned out subsequent lines of dialogue. With A24 securing distribution, it shouldn't be long before this joyous film hits theaters near you.

      The Invite premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival and is set to be released by A24.