Olivia Wilde’s latest film, The Invite, takes audiences into one dinner party where conversations about love, intimacy, and relationships begin to unfold. Led by Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton, the film explores the challenges of long-term relationships with humor, honesty, and emotional depth.
Written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, The Invite is based on Cesc Gay’s Spanish film Sentimental (The People Upstairs). The screenplay was further developed through rehearsals, with the cast and writers working together to explore the characters and their conversations before filming began.
One of the film’s unique production choices was shooting the story in chronological order. Edward Norton and Olivia Wilde have discussed how filming the movie from beginning to end allowed the cast to experience the story as the characters did, building each moment naturally as the relationships developed.
Wilde also brought relationship therapist and author Esther Perel onto the project as a consultant. Known for her work on intimacy, desire, and modern relationships, Perel’s ideas helped inform the conversations at the center of the film. Wilde has said that the film explores themes connected to Perel’s work, including personal growth, connection, and taking responsibility for your own happiness within relationships.
With its clever writing, talented ensemble cast, and thoughtful approach to love and partnership, The Invite offers more than a traditional comedy. The film opens up conversations about communication, vulnerability, and the complicated ways people connect with one another.
