Olivia Wilde’s directing back catalogue is nothing if not varied. Her breakout directorial hit came with Booksmart in 2019, which was rich with humour and elevated by Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever’s brilliant lead performances.
Then came the not-so-great Don’t Worry Darling, which scored a disappointing 38 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer.
But I’m glad to report that her latest film The Invite is a glorious return to form, as she both stars in and directs the feature. It follows an unhappy couple (played by Wilde and Seth Rogen) who invite their new neighbours (Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz) for dinner. I won't say any more, as the less you know about this movie before watching it, the better.
Most of the film takes place in their apartment, but clever camera work means the setting never feels stale or boring. Instead, each corner of the flat becomes a cove for hushed conversation or a stage for explosive conflict.
One element that really elevates this sense of tension is Devonté Hynes’ spiky and playful score, made up entirely of cello instrumentals.
When the mood is relaxed, the sweeping strings create the sense of an idyllic home life. But arguments are punctuated with harsh, low, even thrilling instrumental moments.
It’s not subtle, but it further ramps up the tension in a movie where a single spoken line can turn a normal conversation into something far more fraught. Hynes is not afraid to leave space for quiet either, such as when, during a surprisingly moving conversation between the two leads, there is only the uncomfortable silence of the couple trying to decide what to say next.
The Invite is playing in cinemas now, and I can’t wait for it to hopefully come to 4K Blu-ray so I can use it as a test disc for sound in our AV test room. So far, only the standard Blu-ray and DVD editions are available to pre-order at HMV, but fingers crossed.
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