Movie Review: The Invite (2026 CCFF)

I first saw Olivia Wilde’s The Invite at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, and I loved the film. It was one of my favorite movies at this year’s festival and exceeded the buzz built around it throughout the festival. But was it truly a great comedy? A comedy solidifies its greatness with repeated viewings, confirming whether the jokes still land when you know what they are, and whether the film remains entertaining even knowing how the plot unfolds. I couldn’t properly review the film until I saw it again.

The Invite opened the 2026 Chicago Critics Film Festival, and I took the opportunity to see it again, this time knowing how the film plays out and many of the jokes. Much to my delight, The Invite played even better on second viewing, maintaining its humor and pacing and allowing me to appreciate Wilde’s direction and the screenplay even more.

The Invite takes place in the apartment of Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela (Wilde), whose marriage is on the rocks. Angela has invited their neighbors Hawk (Edward Norton) and Pina (Penelope Cruz) over for the evening, much to Joe’s dismay. What starts as a casual evening of meats, cheeses, and champagne quickly turns into an eye-opening evening for both couples.

Written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, adapted from the 2024 Czech film Sentimental, The Invite is a crackling, tension-fueled, uproarious film. The dialog flows at a rapid pace, filled with jokes, surprises, and thought-provoking themes about love, communication, happiness, and modern relationships. The conversations are snappy and unpredictable, keeping us in suspense and allowing for the humor to come naturally. The Invite will surely bring up interesting topics of conversation, particularly for people in relationships.

Jones and McCormack’s script is brought to life by a quartet of spectacular performances by Rogen, Wilde, Norton, and Cruz. Each actor is at the top of their game, bringing their own unique personality to their performance and giving us fully realized characters. Rogen and Wilde give two of the best performances of their careers, Cruz exudes sexuality, power, and confidence while flexing her comedic muscle, something we don’t see too often from her, and Norton gives his best performance in years.

Not only did this viewing solidify my initial Sundance reaction that The Invite is a great comedy, but it also enriched it, adding depth to the characters and themes while being just as funny and surprising as the first time. The Invite is one of the best films of 2026 and one of the best comedies of the decade.

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