The Invite – Movie Review
In 2020, the Spanish film The People Upstairs was released. The film was remade in Italy as Neighbors in 2022; in Switzerland as The Neighbours from Upstairs in 2023; in France as Maybe More in 2024; in South Korea as The People Upstairs in 2025; and now in the United States as The Invite. in 2026 from writing duo Rashida Jones and Will McCormack (Celeste and Jesse Forever, Toy Story 4). One can only assume the universality of the themes in the story as evidenced by the multitude of international adaptations. And you would be expected to wonder what is so intriguing about this story to warrant so many remakes? In fact, the film’s marketing thrives on the intrigue of the central premise. An impromptu houseparty between neighbouring couples, one whose marriage is strained, and the others whose relationship is audibly and earthshatteringly healthy, and a central unexpected invitation that changes everything.
Director Olivia Wilde is no stranger to comedy nor intrigue, with her two previous films Booksmart and Don’t Worry Darling featuring both. In The Invite. Wilde stars as Angela, alongside Seth Rogen, as her husband and retired band musician turned current associate music professor Joe. They’ve been renovating their apartment, and raising their daughter, and have been avoiding a looming conversation about their relationship’s health. Enter neighbours Pína, (Penélope Cruz) a psychotherapist and sexologist and Hawk (Edward Norton) a retired firefighter turned rug enthusiast. Oh.. and they are also polyamorous swingers who host loud sex parties in their apartment which Angela and Joe can clearly hear – and may soon be invited to join. The resulting tension – both angrily and sexually-charged – is the central spinning top that rapidly unravels as the dinner party takes place.
The central quartet of Wilde, Rogen, Cruz and Norton is perfectly utilised. They effortlessly and naturally talk over one another, interrupt, interject, insult, enrage, engage, enjoy, endear, compliment, flirt, threaten and more. It’s a wonderfully witty script that they play with masterfully, whilst Wilde also gets ample opportunity to demonstrate continued growing confidence as a director, with a wonderful confident use of space and blocking. The entire film, bar one scene at the beginning, takes place entirely within Joe and Angela’s apartment. But the film never feels claustrophobic or constrained, rather the apartment is a free moving character that allows the story freedom to evolve.
And not only is the film comedically entertaining, but it has a deep emotional heart that bubbles to the surface amidst the sexy fun. For a film about neighbours sex lives, the film actually has little sex at all, and it’s all the better for it. Because the movie isn’t really about an invite to an orgy, or the excitement of a new sexual experience. The film is about an invite to interrogate one’s own relationship with their significant other to see if the spark is still there? And if not, whether it can be resparked or has burnt out entirely. The film’s emotional climax is incredibly cathartic as we see a glimpse of what may be starting anew.
The resulting film thus has a very balanced tonal approach. Wilde never allows the scenarios to become a broad farce, despite their inherently comedic setup. The humour emerges naturally from awkward conversations, misunderstandings and uncomfortable truths rather than cheap shock value. At the same time, the dramatic moments land because they feel earned. As the evening progresses and the masks begin to slip, the jokes gradually give way to vulnerability, creating a surprisingly poignant exploration of intimacy, communication and the ways couples drift apart or come back together to heal one another in a way that can only occur when true vulnerability and intimacy are present. It is this careful blend of laughter and emotional honesty that elevates The Invite. above a simple sexy romcom and helps its final moments leave a resonate emotional impact.
The Invite is in Australian cinemas July 9
