The Invite
I didn’t know what to expect exactly from The Invite, as Olivia Wilde’s last foray, Don’t Worry Darling, had a lot of issues. With a less ambitious, more intimate story, she absolutely delivered. The Invite is hilarious, and more than that, is electric. We were in a packed theater, and the crowd was wrestling with the shock, the cringe, and hilarity that scene after scene delivered. While the scale of this doesn’t compare to Don’t Worry Darling, I will say to have a movie almost entirely set in one space is daunting, but it absolutely works, so much so that I didn’t even register that fact until after the movie. Edward Norton is one of my all-time favorite actors, and he delivers a performance in this that is so funny and heartfelt, and I’ll be shocked if he’s not nominated. It’s a shame he’s never won an Oscar despite his four nominations, and as of this moment, he’d be my vote for best supporting. Penelope Cruz is equally good, I will say, and she could easily win her second supporting actress role from this as well. Rogen and Wilde are great too, and the perfect counterparts to Cruz and Norton. Must watch movie for 2026! It’s 9.25 ZEJ makes it the first movie above 9.0 this year and edges out Project Hail Mary as the highest rated ZEJ movie of 2026.
-Z
Very funny and unpredictable, and even more fun to watch it in a packed, enthusiastic theater. Incredibly engaging despite a very small cast and set. Amazing score that really set the tone for each scene. I can absolutely imagine this being a very fun stage play, but they did a great job transforming it into a movie. The more I think about it, the more I realize how smart and well done it was. Great job Olivia Wilde and A24 - I hope you get some Oscar attention from this!
-E
At the time of writing this, I believe this is the best film of 2026. True tension, amazing score, and uniquely funny. For a movie in 1 setting with 4 actors, it never felt small. I think this is proof that Olivia Wilde is actually a high tier director, Edward Norton is elite, Cruz is great, and Rogen doesn’t miss. I loved it from start to finish and wanted more. A film I think everyone should find time to see.
-J
