The Invite

In the realm of contemporary cinema, Olivia Wilde’s latest directorial endeavor, The Invite, emerges not as a conventional horror film, but as a sophisticated and raucously funny exploration of marital ennui and unconventional desires. The narrative centers on San Francisco couple Angela (Olivia Wilde) and Joe (Seth Rogen), whose quiet evenings are frequently disrupted by what they initially perceive as unsettling nocturnal disturbances. However, the source of these amplified sounds is revealed to be their upstairs neighbors, the vivacious Piña (Penélope Cruz) and the enigmatic Hawk (Edward Norton). Their intimate encounters, far from being a source of marital discord for the couple, instead serve as a stark reminder of what has become absent in Angela and Joe’s own union. The film ingeniously subverts expectations when Piña and Hawk visit for an ostensibly civil dinner, disclosing that the passionate vocalizations are not Piña’s alone, but those of a friend named Vanessa. This revelation positions Piña and Hawk as swingers, albeit with a surprisingly structured approach: a limit of six participants, expandable to ten for birthday celebrations.

A Cinematic Tapestry of Modern Relationships

The Invite, elegantly shot on 35mm film and underscored by the evocative score of Dev Hynes, masterfully blends cinematic sophistication with the uninhibited humor characteristic of a sex comedy. The screenplay, a collaborative effort by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, is an adaptation of Cesc Gay’s 2020 Spanish-language drama, Sentimental. While Gay’s original work retained a theatrical sensibility, Wilde transforms the predominantly single-location story into a dynamic and visually engaging cinematic experience. The camera work is consistently inventive, swirling and shifting to mirror the escalating emotional and comedic chaos. The actors’ performances are equally compelling, their body language and demeanor evolving and collapsing in tandem with the unfolding events, often to the floor in moments of dramatic or comedic catharsis. At its core, the film remains a deeply human narrative, consistently surprising audiences with its ability to pivot seamlessly between profound emotional resonance and uproarious humor, as exemplified by a particularly memorable sequence involving pegging that manages to be both hilarious and emotionally charged.

Behind the Scenes: A Deep Dive with Wilde and Norton

A day prior to the film’s United Kingdom release, director Olivia Wilde and actor Edward Norton convened in a London hotel to discuss the intricacies of The Invite. Their conversation delved into the film’s thematic explorations, their shared admiration for relationship therapist Esther Perel, the film’s unexpected resonance with Generation Z, and the profound, almost therapeutic, nature of the production process.

The Influence of Lanthimos and the Art of Unspoken Language

Wilde elaborated on the film’s distinct tonal quality, acknowledging the influence of Yorgos Lanthimos’s cinematic style, particularly in the work of editor Yorgos Mavropsaridis, known professionally as Blackfish. "At all times, that’s what I’m going for," Wilde stated, referring to a deliberate pursuit of unsettling dark comedy. She highlighted Blackfish’s exceptional ability to capture the film’s unique rhythm and its grounding in both explicit dialogue and the nuanced "unspoken language of the characters." Wilde emphasized that Lanthimos’s films are deeply rooted in subtext and a particular brand of dark humor, which she believes Blackfish effectively channeled into The Invite.

The editing process, Wilde explained, was an intensive effort to translate the visceral energy of the on-set experience into the final cut. "It was something I had on such a visceral level from being in the scenes, that I could say, ‘We have to somehow represent the energy we felt on the day.’" This involved a meticulous process of transferring "muscle memory" into the editing suite, requiring an unprecedented level of focus. The collaborative effort with Blackfish, Ant Boyce, and a dedicated editorial team was instrumental in achieving the film’s specific rhythmic quality, which Wilde likened to the challenge of "having a song in your head, and trying to sing it to people."

Method Acting and Cathartic Creation

When questioned about whether actors engage in a form of self-help expertism during their preparation, Edward Norton offered a perspective rooted in shared experience. "We shared personal experiences, things we observed in other people, or stories we knew about a friend," he explained. "It all went into this soup pot. We constructed our own character’s issues, pathologies, and secret history out of the rawness we threw into the pot. You use your insights and experiences."

Olivia Wilde found the process particularly revealing, describing it as a period of heightened vulnerability. "For me, on this film, I think I probably was more vulnerable than I’ve ever been, in a way that actually surprised me. I didn’t realize how much I needed art therapy," she confessed with a laugh, contrasting it with traditional therapy. Norton interjected, describing the experience as an "exorcism," a sentiment Wilde readily embraced. "It was an exorcism! It was very cathartic," she agreed.

Norton further elaborated on the cathartic nature of the production, noting the significant influence of therapist Esther Perel. "A lot of what we took and liked from her work got personified in Penélope as Piña," he remarked, referencing Perel’s work on long-term relationships, infidelity, and eroticism.

The Rise of "Podcast Therapy" and Its Cinematic Reflection

Wilde commented on the contemporary phenomenon of widespread access to therapeutic insights through podcasts, social media, and the internet. "It’s a great sign that people are more introspective about relationships and trauma," she acknowledged, "but it gives some of these therapeutic philosophies almost a cheap name – because it seems like that’s just ‘podcast therapy.’" She distinguished this from the extensive research of figures like Esther Perel, who has dedicated over two decades to studying diverse cultures. Wilde admitted to learning a great deal from Perel’s podcast, noting that her character, Angela, is depicted as obsessively listening to such content in a quest for self-improvement, highlighting the film’s meta-commentary on modern self-help culture.

The Enneagram and the Unscripted Moment

The discussion then shifted to the popular personality typing system, the Enneagram. When asked if they were familiar with their Enneagram numbers, Wilde confessed to having forgotten hers but speculated that Rashida Jones and Penélope Cruz likely knew theirs, given the film’s introspective nature. "It was a real sharing session of different approaches to therapy, and I guarantee enneagrams were brought up," she suggested. Norton admitted his unfamiliarity with the system.

The conversation turned to a particularly impactful scene where Hawk delivers a sincere, heartbreaking monologue, only for Joe to undercut it with a crude comment about pegging. Edward Norton revealed that this sharp, unexpected turn was improvised by Seth Rogen on the spot. Olivia Wilde described the authentic shock and surprise that rippled through the other actors, emphasizing the difficulty of faking such genuine reactions. "The audience can tell that us listening to Hawk’s story is totally real and spontaneous. We hadn’t heard Edward perform that," she stated. Norton added that Rogen’s response was "so rude! Honestly, it was so good, I was in shock." Penélope Cruz and Wilde herself expressed genuine irritation and appallment at the unscripted barb, highlighting the raw, unpredictable nature of the filming process. This willingness to embrace unscripted moments and trust that they would propel the narrative forward was described as a "pretty wild" new experience for the cast.

Generational Resonance and the Allure of Unfiltered Connection

A key aspect of The Invite‘s reception has been its surprising appeal to younger audiences, including Generation Z, a demographic not typically associated with the film’s thematic preoccupations. Wilde expressed her delight at this connection, admitting it was not an initial prediction. She posited that the film’s humor and authenticity transcend age, drawing parallels to her own youthful appreciation for filmmakers whose lives were vastly different from her own.

Edward Norton echoed this sentiment, recalling how films like Husbands and Wives and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? provided him with a crucial "window into adult life, sophistication, and complexity" during his youth. He believes that younger audiences, even those not yet navigating complex marital dynamics, can find compelling insights into the intricacies of love and sex presented in The Invite.

Wilde recounted an encounter with college students in Boston who expressed profound appreciation for the film. Despite the film’s explicit exploration of sexuality, these students found it "really relevant." One 19-year-old shared that the movie "really brought up some conversations I need to have with my partner," a response Wilde found incredibly validating.

The Exotic Thrill of Uncurated Social Interaction

When asked about the appeal to younger audiences, particularly in an era dominated by curated online personas, Wilde sought insight from Esther Perel. Perel’s analysis suggested that in the age of social media, the idea of "unplanned social interaction, without any pre-curation, is actually exotic and thrilling." The film’s depiction of genuine, sometimes uncomfortable, human connection, devoid of the constant digital mediation, resonates with a generation that often experiences social interactions in highly controlled environments. The film’s emphasis on presence, unfiltered honesty, and the potential for unexpected friction in a shared space offers a compelling counterpoint to the pre-planned and often superficial nature of online engagement.

Norton, playfully pointing to his phone, acknowledged the irony of this observation, joking, "You’re Gen Z." The film’s portrayal of a social collision, where individuals are genuinely unprepared for the encounter and are thus more likely to be present and honest, is posited as a form of social experience that is increasingly rare and, therefore, highly valued.

The potential societal impact of the film was also considered. While some might speculate about a correlation between films like Scenes from a Marriage and increased divorce rates, Wilde expressed a more optimistic outlook. "I think more people will stay together because of this movie. I really believe that," she asserted, suggesting that The Invite‘s honest portrayal of relationship complexities might foster greater understanding and commitment rather than dissolution.

The Invite is now available in UK and Irish cinemas.