DIRECTOR
Olivia Wilde
Don’t Worry Darling, Booksmart

STARS
Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton

Now, THIS is my kind of sex comedy!

The kind that is loaded with wit, integrity and genuinely hilarious dialogue in its writing to match, if not better, the scenarios that transpire on-screen whose foreplay enticingly undresses from its PG-friendly covering to reveal the R-rated raunch at its core!

All the while, The Invite, an English-language remake of the 2020 Spanish film The People Upstairs (Sentimental), maintains, if not again betters, the initial characteristics that turn this adult comedy into one of the best (and certainly most fun) films of 2026!

As soon as disconnected music teacher Joe (Seth Rogen) arrives home to his uptight wife Angela (played by director Olivia Wilde), it is evident their marriage is stale as old bread. The boundlessly bickering couple have their stress levels heightened courtesy of Angela’s late reminder they are hosting their upstairs neighbours for drinks and dinner… within the next 10 minutes! From the moment the seemingly picture perfect and very much in-love visitors, sexologist Piña (Penélope Cruz) and firefighter Hawk (Edward Norton), arrive, they prove there is no topic of conversation off limits nor any amount of tension or awkwardness present in the room that can’t be confronted! In fact, where most people would be inclined to changing the subject to avoid escalation, putting the hose over any spot fires in talk that do break out or just uncomfortably smiling and nodding to offset contrary sentiments, Piña and Hawk don’t just knock at these doors; they barge their way through them!

The Invite is everything, yet more, I was hoping last year’s Splitsville would be. There are many similarities to, and it reminded me of the hugely successful and still popular 2016 Italian comedy classic Perfect Strangers (Perfetti Sconosciuti), which now holds the Guinness World Record for being the most remade film at 24 times!

One of those similarities in The Invite is of course the appealing set-up; bringing together separate adult characters under one person’s roof who each have secrets that will no longer be just that by the end! Just as Perfect Strangers so sublimely executed, The Invite draws immense interest from viewers and is refreshing to encounter courtesy of being privy to eavesdropping on subject matters and banter typically had in far more private settings. While certain discourses are naturally risqué and can be prone to making one blush, the authenticity in characterisation and the maturity and class of the writing is uncompromising and truly stands out.

The role each of the four characters play in proceedings and how they ground this film is clearly established early and surprisingly developed throughout. The idiom “a picture is worth a thousand words” comes strongly to fruition in depicting the current deteriorating state of Angela and Joe’s relationship, their reactive and combative temperaments and certain underlying factors that have landed them in this unhealthy and dysfunctional existence. When their guests arrive, Joe is in no mood for entertaining and in mood to pretend he’s happy to entertain either! To neutralise Joe’s outward hostility, Angela woos by welcoming and with politeness that is see through as lace to Piña and Hawk, who might be too existential for Joe and Angela’s liking but have surprises in store themselves!

Performances from the quartet of cast members in The Invite are from the top-shelf. This is director Olivia Wilde’s best feature-length film of the three she has made to date (and they are all very, very good!) and her work portraying Angela is just as superior. The balancing of keeping her character’s inner emotions visible but at bay whilst putting on the front she does throughout is expertly executed. Seth Rogen’s wisecracking is one of the most hilarious aspects of the film, but his character is far more than being a one-dimensional route to frequent laughter. Edward Norton feels like just the right fit to play Hawk, with the four-time Oscar nominee reminding us of his versatile capabilities here. Penélope Cruz is wonderfully charismatic as Piña, her dialogue delivery and portraying of her character being every bit as sharp (and sexy!) as the writing.

This is truly an excellent film and a bitingly funny comedy I highly and broadly recommend seeing at the cinema, just as intended by Olivia Wilde, who had to fight hard for her film to be screened theatrically as opposed to heading straight for streaming!

The Invite is showing in selected cinemas across Australia from July 9th, 2026.

Moviedoc thanks VVS Films and Nixco for the invitation to the screening of this film.

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc

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