Directed by Olivia Wilde and starring herself, along with Seth Rogen, Penelope Cruz, and Edward Norton, The Invite was a movie that I was very excited to see. I had no idea that this was a remake of a Spanish movie called The People Upstairs, but I liked all four of the actors involved, so I was pretty sure that this would be a good time, and I am very pleased to say that I thought it was pretty good.
Where to Watch The Invite
The Invite was released on June 26, 2026. Several months later you will able to stream the film from digital platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and HBO Max.
The Movie Review
Skipping Theaters for the Small Screen
It took me a while to be able to see this; I missed its theatrical run, but it was made available for streaming pretty quickly, so I was able to catch it there. Say what you will about theatrical runs these days, but sometimes movies coming so fast to streaming do help. I had heard nothing but great things about this, and as I sat down to watch it, I had this real anticipation that I was going to end up loving the movie.
Domestic Friction and Unwanted Guests
If you have seen the trailer for The Invite, you pretty much know what you are in for here. Seth Rogen and Olivia Wilde play the roles of a married couple called Joe and Angela. There is a lot of tension here right from the start; Joe just wants a quiet night after work, but Angela has invited their upstairs neighbors round for dinner and is going all out to make a great impression.
Authentic Chemistry Amidst Marital Strains
I have to say that Rogen and Wilde play Joe and Angela perfectly. They are constantly bickering and, to be honest, it is easy to see both sides of this argument. You find out that their daughter is away at college, and now they have this strained relationship, and it is like they really do not know why they are still together. It is hard to explain, but despite there being more than a few laughs, it is all played so very “real,” and you get just sucked into it.
A Neighborly Knock and Escalating Tempers
It is hilarious when their argument eventually starts to revolve around Joe being mad about the super loud sex that their upstairs neighbors are having. Joe wants to say something to them about it, but Angela is adamant that he should not, and their argument just keeps escalating until there is a knock at the door, and it is Hawk and Pina, Edward Norton and Penelope Cruz.
Clashing Personalities and Candid Confessions
Hawk and Pina are complete opposites of Joe and Angela, and there is tension here with how mad Joe clearly is that he is being forced to entertain them. As the couples start to get to know each other, we find out more about all four as people and we find out why there is so much noise coming from upstairs all of the time. No spoilers here, but it is not what you think, and the very open and frank discussion that they have is a lot of fun, and again, it feels very real and kind of raw too.
Stage-Play Intimacy and an Unresolved Finale
I had heard some people compare The Invite to a stage play and honestly, I cannot think of a better way to describe it. I really enjoyed this movie, but the left open ending for the audience to decide what happened left it on a little bit of a sour note for me. Hey, I get it, and for some, it is part of the fun. However, I really connected with these characters throughout the 90-plus minutes, and I would have loved a more definitive answer. I looked into it after the movie, and even Olivia Wilde says that she does not know what happened to Joe and Angela!
