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Or sign-in if you have an account.From left, Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton in The Invite. Not pictured is the score, which acts like a fifth character. Photo by VVS FilmsWe independently select everything we recommend. Buying through us may earn us a commission, which supports our work.I don’t know where to begin. The Invite, directed by and starring Olivia Wilde, features an incredible quartet of performers at the top of their game, a wicked score that crashes in like a fifth Beatle, whip-smart writing, whip-fast editing and the funniest line about tea-serving since the days of the Ealing comedies.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorOh, and it has a period at the end of the title, putting it in some august company. Clerks. Adaptation. Emma. Good Night, and Good Luck.The premise is simple, period. Joe (Seth Rogen) arrives home from his job as a conservatory music teacher to be told by his wife, Angela (Wilde), that they are having company. The neighbours are coming over. What could go wrong?Joe and Angela have been renovating their apartment, and she wants to apologize for the noise. Joe isn’t thrilled at this, but would like to talk to the neighbours about the noise they’ve been making in the bedroom, which permeates the building like a more enthusiastic and pleasurable home makeover.The neighbours, Hawk and Pina (Edward Norton, Penélope Cruz), arrive. Everyone is on their best behaviour, although Angela’s best is simperingly eager to please, while Joe’s would put Larry David to shame. Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz as Hawk and Pina in The Invite. Photo by VVS FilmsHawk and Pina, seen through the eyes of Joe and Angela, are more of a mystery. It is soon revealed that the boisterous noise from their bedroom is the result of inviting others into their sexual circle, a revelation that Angela greets with excitement and Joe with a mix of lust and fear, even as both try to hide their true feelings behind polite, neutral nods.It’s great fun from this point to both wonder where it’s going to go, and to watch Joe and Angela wonder where it’s going to go.The screenplay — written by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones, but based on the 2020 Spanish film The People Upstairs — refuses to move forward in a straight line, and instead jogs and bobs along with its confused and horny protagonists.If I had to pick a single line that nails the movie’s vibe, it would be when Pina (frequent collaborator Pedro Almodovar has said Cruz has “one of the most spectacular cleavages in world cinema”) asks Joe if he feels worthy of staring at that part of her in the building’s elevator.Watch as Joe tries to process that question and its many layered assumptions and potential traps, never quite managing a coherent reply.Second place, not even a line of dialogue but the moment where Pina bestows a deep kiss upon Angela lips, followed by a silent “boop” on the nose. Olivia Wilde, director and star of The Invite. Photo by VVS FilmsAnd speaking of non-verbal cues, the film features a fantastic score from British musician Dev Hynes, with double-bass and other stringed instruments that sometimes sound like they are trying to comment on the action and talk over the actors. He also weaves in some of Bizet’s Carmen.Comparisons are being made between this Sundance Festival hit and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Another great punctuated title.) I’ve yet to catch up with it — before my time — but I can attest that the four-handers Carnage (2011) and Closer (2004) were amazing works of art, and this one is no exception.It even taught me a new word, “compersion,” defined as the feeling of joy that arises when you see someone you love experiencing joy themselves. Sexual in nature, it’s often described as the opposite of jealousy, but in a non-sexual context you could think of it as the opposite of schadenfreude. Freudigefreude, perhaps? It’s what I felt watching The Invite.The Invite opens July 3 in theatres.4.5 stars out of 5 Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.