The Invite

Director: Olivia Wilde

Cast: Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penelope Cruz, Edward Norton 

Olivia Wilde directs and stars in a poignant, hilarious, and emotionally honest portrayal of human relationships led by a stellar cast

Annoying neighbours are a dime a dozen. Annoying neighbours who pop round to share a flan and invite you into their weekly orgy schedule – not so much. The Invite is a portrait of two married couples as they meet and clash over a casual get-together. J For a film set entirely in one apartment, Wilde’s direction is vivid and energetic, each scene building on and subverting the next, unpicking the layers of the relationships between the key characters. With all four cast members — Rogen, Cruz, Norton, and Wilde herself — on top form, The Invite is a type of filmmaking that is sorely lacking on our screens: a film about adult feelings for adults. (ANNA BOGUTSKAYA)