88 Lothian Road
Mon 3 Aug · 10:30
This film contains flashing images which may affect viewers who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy. Screening as part of Baby and Carer screenings . Beautiful, brittle Angela (Olivia Wilde) asks the free spirits from upstairs, Hawk and Piña (Edward Norton, Penélope Cruz), over for dinner, much to the chagrin of her exhausted, frustrated husband Joe (Seth Rogen). Joe insists that Angela never told him about the get-together, and when he urges her to reschedule, she refuses. With their daughter away at a sleepover, the neighbors are due to arrive at any moment. For Angela, the impromptu gathering is a chance to showcase recent renovations to the historic San Francisco apartment she shares with Joe, and to apologize for the construction noise Hawk and Piña have graciously endured. Joe, realizing there’s no way out of socializing, decides — to Angela’s horror — that it’s also an ideal opportunity to confront the couple about their loud and frequent lovemaking. Once Hawk and Piña arrive, anxiety threatens to overwhelm Angela, who valiantly attempts to steer the conversation in a pleasant direction. The guests, however, are all too happy to frankly discuss their intimate lives, suggesting that Joe and Angela might benefit from a similarly liberated approach to carnal pleasures. Maybe they could even begin to do so tonight? An uproarious and insightful exploration of the complexities of adult romantic relationships, The Invite uses its surprising premise to springboard the characters into a funny, fraught and long-overdue evening of soul-searching. For Wilde, the invitation to direct the film was one she says she absolutely couldn’t decline. Writers Will McCormack and Rashida Jones adapted the screenplay from writer-director Cesc Gay’s award-winning 2021 Spanish film Sentimental , (released internationally as The People Upstairs ), which in turn was based on Gay’s 2016 play, Los Vecinos de Arriba .