Olivia Wilde’s L’Invitation Review: A Lackluster Remake of a Spanish Comedy
- Olivia Wilde returns to the director's chair with "L’Invitation," a new American feature film that adapts Cesc Gay’s 2020 Spanish comedy "Sentimental," according to reviews published in September...
- According to CineChronicle, the original Spanish play and film by Cesc Gay has inspired nine remakes across the world in just six years, including the 2024 French adaptation...
- While CineChronicle describes the project as a success with controlled staging and an effective balance of humor and emotional depth, other outlets offer a sharper assessment.
Olivia Wilde returns to the director’s chair with “L’Invitation,” a new American feature film that adapts Cesc Gay’s 2020 Spanish comedy “Sentimental,” according to reviews published in September 2026. The production brings together a prominent cast featuring Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton for a high-tension apartment drama that has drawn varied critical responses across the European entertainment press.
A Crowded Global Pedigree Meets Hollywood Star Power
According to CineChronicle, the original Spanish play and film by Cesc Gay has inspired nine remakes across the world in just six years, including the 2024 French adaptation “Et plus si affinités.” Wilde’s American version centers on Angela, played by Wilde, and Joe, played by Seth Rogen. Angela invites their upstairs neighbors, Pina, played by Penélope Cruz, and Hawk, played by Edward Norton, over for an evening drink despite her husband’s initial reluctance. The gathering quickly unravels from a polite neighborhood meet-and-greet into an awkward confrontation. As CineChronicle notes, Angela is both intrigued by the couple and eager to show off her newly renovated apartment, but the conversation rapidly exposes deep-seated marital friction.
Critical Divisions Over Predictability and Style
While CineChronicle describes the project as a success with controlled staging and an effective balance of humor and emotional depth, other outlets offer a sharper assessment. Tsounami.fr reviewer Matthieu Neiva categorizes the film within a familiar lineage of dining-room disaster dramas like “Carnage” and “Le Prénom,” arguing that the project falls into predictable traps set by its screenplay. According to Tsounami.fr, the script by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack reduces characters to distinct dramatic functions. Seth Rogen plays a weary, burnt-out artist, while Penélope Cruz portrays a vibrant counterpart, resulting in archetypes that lean heavily on familiar cinematic tropes. Tsounami.fr also points to the film’s polished aesthetic, noting that the soft lighting and upscale apartment interior evoke a curated magazine look rather than gritty realism.
Balancing Vaude-Ville Comedy with Psychological Couple Dynamics
Despite the structural familiarity, CineChronicle highlights how the film uses its single-location setting to examine broader themes of marriage, sexuality, and unspoken resentments. Wilde reportedly merges elements from her previous directorial work, blending the psychological exploration seen in “Don’t Worry Darling” with the lighter comedic tone of “Booksmart.” The narrative hinges on the revelation midway through the evening that the upstairs neighbors practice alternative relationship dynamics, forcing Joe and Angela to confront their own stagnant routine. Reviewers from CineChronicle note that the sharp editing and precise camera choreography keep the momentum moving forward, even as the characters remain trapped within the confines of a single apartment.
