The Invite (2026)★ 7.8/10

Actress Olivia Wilde has now directed three movies. She flew out of the gate with BOOKSMART, then made DON’T WORRY DARLING (which was harshly criticized in my opinion). Now she has made THE INVITE, an A24 comedy of neighbours and manners based on a stage play and a remake of a few films over the past few years. It’s a story of Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela (Olivia Wilde). Their marriage is pretty burnt out, but when Angela tells Joe that their upstairs neighbours Hawk (Edward Norton) and Pina (Penélope Cruz) are coming over, things get interesting. This features two relationships and their different dynamics. I knew Wilde had so much fun working with Rogen on THE STUDIO, so I knew this would be fun as well. This is directed by somebody who has a strong idea of what it’s about, and who knows how to perfectly balance tone. It’s also the funniest movie so far this year. The humour is snappy and smart. The script (written by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones) is fast paced and well-rounded. Each character is well thought out, each taking me on a different emotional path. Each performance is amazing. The apartment is its own character here too, letting these characters unfold within it. The score has highs and lows alongside the characters, with certain scenes heightened. Man I’m saying character a lot, but it really is the biggest aspect of this type of film. I enjoyed just watching these…people…just exist. This movie is clever, sexy, unpredictable, fresh. It’s genuinely insightful about adult relationships. It’s full of interesting conversations. It goes deeper than one would think. It’s one of the best edited films I’ve seen. Overall, THE INVITE is a very well-crafted movie that deals with relatable and universal adult themes in a very fun way. Everything is on the table, so it’s a very entertaining watch. It definitely gets my recommendation.

Um dos melhores do ano, sem dúvidas! Wilde consegue extrair quatro atuações deliciosamente intensas. O filme consegue muito com o pouco que tem. A limitação do espaço do apartamento dá ainda mais intimidade no desconforto, típico de uma relação duradoura em ruínas. É muito divertido quando quer, e precisamente profundo na medida certa. Filmaço! Fui assistir sem saber absolutamente nada da trama, e isso foi a melhor coisa a ser feita.

'The Invite' es una increíble película de comedia, que se mueve (y mucho) en un entorno reducido y una historia que se tensa y se suelta, avanzando entre incomodidad y risas. La película plantea una historia mayormente original, con varios giros argumentales, uno mejor que el anterior. Además, se cocina a fuego lento cuando lo necesita y es veloz cuando lo debe, en un ritmo bastante disfrutable. Buenas actuaciones por parte de Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz y Edward Norton. Destaca mucho más Olivia Wilde, que también dirige el filme. A24 acierta una vez más con el encuadre y granulado característicos, que se juntan con una buena fotografía y planos interesantes. Cátedra de dirección y trabajo de cámara, altamente dinámico, veloz y combinando perfectamente con una banda sonora trepidante, que eleva muchísimo el ambiente y el nivel del filme. El guión también plantea una reflexión importante sobre la vida en pareja, el matrimonio, la infelicidad y las relaciones liberales.

É redundante dizer que 'O Convite' é um dos melhores filmes do ano, em meio a outras gratas surpresas de produções autorais originais e fracassos de blockbusters. Obter convites assim instigantes e curiosos é lisonjeável, e não podem ser ignorados ou desperdiçados – por outro lado, não é todo mundo que consegue receber tais convites tão bem.

Por Everaldo Júnior