The Invite
June 30th, 2026
MOVIE: THE INVITE
STARRING: SETH ROGAN, OLIVIA WILDE, PENÉLOPE CRUZ, EDWARD NORTON
DIRECTED BY: OLIVIA WILDE
AMovieGuy.com’s RATING: 3 ½ STARS (Out of 4)
RATED: R
RUN TIME: 107 MINUTES
The Invite is a movie Olivia Wilde needed to make. After the experience she endured with her previous film, Don’t Worry Darling, it was clear she needed to put that chapter behind her. Between her divorce, the relationship with Harry Styles, the bizarre “spitting controversy” at the Cannes premiere, and the overall reception of the film, her next project had to be a success. Thankfully, that’s exactly what she’s delivered. The Invite– a remake of the Spanish film Sentimental– is a sharp, sexy, and hilarious exploration of relationships, featuring some of the best performances of 2026.
The story is simple. Angela (Olivia Wilde) and Joe (Seth Rogen) are married with a child, living on the middle floor of a condo, and beginning to feel the strain on their relationship. After a long day at work, Joe comes home to find Angela has invited their neighbors, Piña (Penélope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton), over for dinner and drinks. The problem is that Joe isn’t particularly fond of them. Between their personalities and the intimate details they casually share about their marriage, what should be a friendly evening quickly spirals into something far more volatile. Secrets are revealed, risqué topics are explored, and the strength of both relationships is pushed to its breaking point.
Saying much more about what unfolds in The Invite would spoil its many surprises, but Wilde’s greatest accomplishment begins with her cast. As the evening progresses, each character gradually reveals more about their desires, frustrations, insecurities, and shortcomings, and it feels as though every actor was born to play these roles. Rogen delivers his signature brand of humor, always ready with a self-deprecating joke to defuse an uncomfortable situation. Wilde, meanwhile, allows Angela’s anxieties to simmer before erupting, portraying a woman desperate to rekindle the spark in a marriage that has grown stagnant.
The standout performances, however, belong to Cruz and Norton. As alliances shift throughout the night, Wilde cleverly divides the characters into different pairings- Joe and Piña sharing a joint in another room, Hawk and Angela bonding over her eye for interior design. Cruz radiates confidence and charisma, while Norton is brilliant as a wildly successful man who remains blissfully unaware of his own absurdity. As the film unfolds, the question isn’t whether these performances are awards-worthy, but which one is most likely to earn an Oscar nomination.
At its core, The Invite is about the complicated work of sustaining a relationship. Wilde moves the camera effortlessly through the condo, making certain rooms feel open and inviting while others become increasingly claustrophobic, mirroring the emotional shifts between the couples. If there’s one minor criticism, it’s that Rogen occasionally feels like the weak link- not because he’s bad, but because his comedic persona is so recognizable that you sometimes see Seth Rogen rather than Joe.
Either way, The Invite is one of the very best films of 2026 and a triumphant return to form for Olivia Wilde. It evokes the spirit of sophisticated adult dramas like The Big Chill, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and even the tightly wound tension of Alfred Hitchcock’s queer-coded Rope. To create this kind of drama- to spark conversations that continue long after the credits roll- is a rare achievement. This is one invitation you’ll be glad you accepted.
3 ½ STARS
THE INVITE IS PLAYING IN CHICAGO THIS FRIDAY, JULY 3RD, 2026.
Written by: Leo Brady
