Review: “The Invite” proves why Olivia Wilde belongs to directing comedies

Olivia Wilde's voice as a director might be hazy, but there is no question that her talent belongs in helming mature comedies.

The impressive thing about Wilde's directorial work is that each of her three films looks and feels nothing alike. "Booksmart," "Don't Worry Darling," and her most recent work, "The Invite," respectively explore the complexities of human relationships from the perspective of women at different stages of life, but you can't really tell they're made by the same person.

Wilde enjoys making jokes out of chaotic moments, which she aptly utilized in "The Invite." She and Seth Rogen play a couple who invite their neighbours (Penélope Cruz and Ed Norton) to dinner as a way to get to know them and clear any tension out of the air. As the night goes on, they are ambushed by an invitation that could make or break their marriage.

Despite being set mostly inside an apartment, Wilde always keeps her scenes interesting. From one to two to four, and sometimes three, she makes the best use of creative blocking to depict power politics, relationship woes, and existential thoughts that are sharp, spicy, and keep you engaged. The best comparison to "The Invite" is Mike Nichols' films, particularly "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", both set in one space with multiple characters bantering throughout.

With such limited space to play around with, and to keep it from looking like a stage play filmed for the big screen, Wilde's secret weapon is her actors, who help make "The Invite" a cinematic experience. Wilde is equally astonishing with her actors on-screen. Seth Rogen pulls off the best performance of his career, while Penélope Cruz and Ed Norton are wonderful additions completing the quartet. Each of them brings a unique chaos, mellow energy, and humor that is just a joy to witness unfold.

"The Invite" is Olivia Wilde's best directorial work, which isn't saying a lot considering her limited output, but what's worth noting is that each of her films has a unique lens that feels refreshing. Could it be the best comedy of the year? Most likely — it's going to be an uphill battle to beat this one.

"The Invite” gets ★★★★⯪.

“The Invite” is now showing in New Zealand cinemas.

Featured images from A24/ VVS Films.