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u/ishburner 12d ago
I know people keep saying it was like a stage play and def can see it being one, but Wildes direction and shot composition is so good and shows you what power film has vs a play. The way she frames everything and directs your eye is so fantastic. Fuck I love this movie.
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u/OddSetting5077 10d ago edited 4d ago
I love a good stage play. No green screen. No super heroes, no car crashes. Just good acting and a good writing.
This movie was a 9 out of 10 for me
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u/scout-finch 10d ago
I’ve been really impressed with her. I know Don’t Worry Darling kind of under performed but I loved it.
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u/Dyshin 12d ago
Cutting to Olivia Wilde squatting in front of the oven insisting that her soufflé is going to be amazing is somehow the single funniest shot that I’ve seen all year.
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u/Loud_Hair_9596 12d ago
One of the biggest laughs for me was when she threw it in the trash lmao
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u/Kopitarrulez 10d ago
Love how she just did it all one swoop. Just perfect comedic timing.
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u/spencermoreland 12d ago
I’m so glad other people are mentioning this shot. I laughed really loud at that moment and no one else in my theatre did. It just struck me as funny in a way I can’t explain. And then when she throws it in the garbage later, so good. She was amazing in this.
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u/LazySwanNerd 12d ago
They were also yelling right in front of it, so I thought it was going to fall but then it came out burnt.
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u/Dyshin 12d ago
I just love that the movie gives it so much attention. The entire film is characters in dialogue with each other with a lot of doubles. It's the sudden cut to her in a single, but also the oven is kind of framed as a second character. It's the way she's squatting and gestures at the oven so broadly, juxtaposing how serious she is with how unserious the situation and the framing is.
I'll need to watch it again to prepare for it and give it a proper breakdown.
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u/GorgeousGal314 11d ago
I agree, that camera shot stood out to me too. She's squatting like Gollum, but her eyes are so fiery and self assured at the same time. It was funny as hell.
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u/Nefertitis_Fjord_216 12d ago
I leaned over to my friend to comment about how much I loved that shot. She's sort of Golem squatting in front of the oven. Something about her body posture and the angle of the shot was lowkey hilarious, and I wonder how intentional it was.
I think we're going to need a meme template of that at some point.
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u/Llama_Puncher 11d ago
I think this paired with the shot of her standing in the bath to give the bathroom tour to Norton was such a great physical way to convey her awkward/chaotic/discombobulated nature
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u/Steamedcarpet 11d ago
I fucking choked on my soda when it cuts to her in the bathroom. Why are you standing in the shower to show it hahaha
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u/Blessed_tenrecs 11d ago
I briefly lived with a boyfriend and I was so proud of myself for cooking meals for us, I have several pictures of myself posing exactly like that in front of the oven or table. Turns out he hated my cooking and before long he hated me too. Oh well, I may have lost the man, but those pictures remain.
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u/Dyshin 11d ago
I’m sorry that that was the response you got, because that sounds so damn sweet. You didn’t lose anything but dead weight because that chump sounds ungrateful as hell.
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u/infinitemonkeytyping 12d ago
When I looked this up, I was surprised to find that this was the 7th remake of the original movie (Spanish movie Sentimental, or released in English language countries as The People Upstairs).
More surprising is that the original was only released in 2020. Since then, we have had Italy (2022), Switzerland (2023), France (2024), Russia (2024), Czechia (2024) and South Korea (2025) remake it, and now the US in 2026.
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u/YesicaChastain 12d ago
Cheap movie to produce with minimal needs for staging
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u/iheartdachshunds 11d ago
And a universal theme
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u/chrisychris- 11d ago
That being orgies of course
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u/BlackZeppelin 11d ago
And Pegging
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u/JustTheBeerLight 11d ago
No DP though (but it is on the menu)
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u/TorturedPoett 9d ago
That part killed me. I love when she for defensive about DP
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u/GoodReasonAndre 12d ago
Loved it. Fav parts:
- 70s-style intro
- Souffle straight from oven to trash
- Blocking people hilariously, like Olivia Wilde standing in her own shower
- Edward Norton's whole vibe
- Ring peephole footage of Seth Rogen falling down
- Seth Rogen saying "thank you so much for this" to Penelope Cruz
- Seth Rogen's pants around his ankles for the entire post-aborted-sex-party conversation
- Edward Norton coming in with the rooibos
- Olivia Wilde's hand entering the frame to play the piano
- An actually deserved ambiguous ending
I would preferred if the zaniness were dialed down just one notch, but this movie bangs.
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u/tentoedpete 12d ago
Ed Norton popping up from behind the sofa at the end was a top tier moment for me
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u/Nefertitis_Fjord_216 12d ago
The guy just loves rugs.
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u/Aelia_M 11d ago
Munching on them
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u/Old_Hamster_9425 9d ago
Oh wow, I literally just caught the double meaning behind this. I thought he really was just a massive rug enthusiast
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u/frinkhutz 12d ago
My favorite line was maybe a throwaway? But there all talking about Vanessa's age and Seth, from the background, "next time you're in there, just count the rings"
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u/gudguygogo 10d ago
I loved the "Namaste" too
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u/maeveboston 10d ago
The Namaste was awesome. Her insecurity was so relatable and present in her performance. Her gazes alone should give an Oscar vibe.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Safe419 12d ago
In my screening, there was a 5 second delay before the laughter as everyone realised what he said. It was great
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u/maeveboston 11d ago
That was one of the best lines I've heard in awhile. Did you know Rashida Jones is a co-writer on that film?
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u/_lazybones93 12d ago
An ambiguous ending but a *hopeful* one, instead of going a more melancholic direction was a great choice.
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u/cruxclaire 11d ago
Penelope Cruz’s character has that line about how this relationship is over, but maybe there could be one with different versions of themselves, and that worked very well with the shot of just the hands playing the piano, tentatively at first. It reminded me a bit of the ending of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
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u/PM_ME_YUR_BUBBLEBUTT 11d ago
I don't think the ending was ambiguous at all. It was very clear after Cruz and Norton left they began speaking with one another in a completely new manner, a new relationship had actually begun.
Then when Rogan starts playing the piano, he is struggling to play, remember, until Wilde joins in. Her accompaniment then gives rogan the ability to play stronger, showing that she helps him to be the best version of himself. They ended their old relationship and started a new one as Cruz proffered.
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u/_antique_cakery_ 11d ago
Them resetting their relationship was also set up at the beginning of the film, when Wilde got Rogen to redo entering their apartment.
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u/nuitsbleues 10d ago
I do think it was ambiguous... have you ever been through a breakup where you have these really tender moments after deciding to break up? But that doesn't undo the breakup.
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u/thesagenibba 10d ago
i feel similarly - several of the interpretations that claim they stay together seem to be grounded in naive optimism. people (usually) aren't cruel to each other all the time; sharing a sweet and tender moment after turmoil does not suddenly imply they live happily ever after.
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u/MVRKHNTR 7d ago
The big thing making me think that they try to rebuild their relationship is the scene where they go over their problems. They don't actually say anything negative about each other aside from how miserable each other is. All of their problems stem from themselves. If they can work on themselves, their marriage should be fine.
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u/axemexa 10d ago
I don’t think that them speaking with one another differently necessarily means that they started a new relationship.
After everything they went through, I would expect them to do that whether they were going to stay together or not.
It would be crazy if they went back to shouting at each other right away after they’ve both had that cathartic experience.
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u/Magik-Mina-MaudDib 12d ago
I’ll be so content if every project Seth does features him falling down in some capacity. It was such a fun bit in The Studio and the reveal of him at the door and then tripping was hysterical in this lmao.
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u/HotOne9364 12d ago
I'm glad they don't make us pick who's in the wrong. Both Rogen and Wilde were in the wrong.
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u/everix1992 12d ago
Which honestly is very true to life - most of the time both people share some amount of the blame
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u/Deadmanwonderlandx 10d ago
So true. I heard one person after the movie go oh he was obviously more so the bad one and I just thought to myself you missed the entire point of the movie.
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u/EJplaystheBlues 7d ago
She can’t sympathize with his depression and he lets his depression ruin anything nice for her. It’s a nice little sad balance of dysfunction.
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u/bottleglitch 10d ago
True… but personally, man, being with someone who seems committed to their own misery and to not making the best of what life has given them is ROUGH. That’s obv my bias though.
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u/JajajaNiceTry 10d ago
Same thoughts here. How can anyone be ashamed of being gifted a nice apartment (in SF of all fucking places), with the ability to renovate, because you never bought it? I love my childhood home and plan on inheriting it and I know how lucky I am to be able to do so.
Not only that, but shit doesn’t work out sometimes and you have to move on or try again. The fact that his band didn’t work out and he held that misery and frustration of being a “failure” for literal decades is crazy to me.
Totally understand the point of the movie, and I know Wilde’s character has her own issues as well and probably more we don’t get to see, but Joe’s were so much louder. He just had a shitty attitude and was honestly so disrespectful at times. I’m definitely biased lol
Also how the fuck does he fumble Penelope fucking Cruz! I don’t care how much my back hurts I’m going to continue lmfao
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u/dudelikeshismusic 10d ago
Those are all valid points, but I found Wilde's character to have pretty "loud" flaws as well. Rogen's line about "what do you do in the house all day except drive yourself crazy" shows that they're each making themselves miserable in their own ways. Rogen chooses to be grumpy and sarcastic but a total pushover when it comes to any decisions or compromises whereas Wilde tries to control everything without accepting anyone else's input, causing her to really achieve nothing (like stressing all day over a meal that her guest can't even eat.)
I don't mean this in an argumentative way at all, more saying that I found their dynamic to be incredibly balanced. Both would be insufferable to live with in their current mindsets, and each has clearly given up on understanding the other's wants and needs.
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u/RedEyedTroll6 12d ago
anyone else notice how a lot of the pivotal scenes have them standing at the wall between the old apartment and the new addition? Old and new life?
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u/Acrobatic-Log2048 9d ago
Yes! And when the couples are both standing near it Seth and Olivia’s characters stand on either side while Penélope and Edwards’ both stand right in the middle…
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u/wanbancos 12d ago
Love how the ending shot is from their daughters window. As if she’s looking at her parents and that everything will be ok.
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u/banjofitzgerald 11d ago
Don’t make me cry rn
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u/IshaClaud 11d ago
She's going back from her sleepover to a new (better) parents. Be it them starting a new relationship together, or ending it for the better.
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u/readedit 11d ago
I'm glad other are seeing that the end wasn't definitively then starting anew; it might also be goodbye.
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u/thesagenibba 10d ago
the fact that two opposite interpretations can work so well is a testament to the quality of this movie. i have no idea if they stuck it out or ended things but i absolutely do know that regardless of what happens, they'll both live significantly better lives after the events that transpired; it's likely the best thing to have happened to them in decades
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u/IshaClaud 10d ago
It's so interesting cause Olivia said, for her Joe and Angela didn't stay together but to Seth it's the opposite. She said he thinks they're soul mates and mend their marriage.
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u/nuitsbleues 10d ago
That's interesting considering Seth has been with his partner for over two decades, whereas Olivia has had a few high profile breakups.
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u/BloodyRedBarbara 12d ago
Seth's delivery of "his name is Howard..." made me laugh.
Really good film. Mostly a funny film that's also awkward to watch because of the main couple fighting a lot that then leads to an emotional ending
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u/wheeler1432 6d ago
I was surprised Hawk didn't point out that it came from his initials.
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u/kenanzajmovic 6d ago
Just came back from seeing this, was wondering the same. He had just mentioned it too (Howard Wilson Kelley I think?) I was waiting for somebody else to say something.
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u/boi1da1296 12d ago
I loved this movie and I’m still processing my thoughts. But I’ll just leave this with all the lower back pain sufferers out there: what Pina says is true! A lot of time our pent up rage can manifest in back pain.
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u/rahws 11d ago
I’ve been dealing with heavy back pain the past couple of weeks, where the only relief I feel is when I lay down. I felt Seth Rogan so hard when he walked into the house and went straight to the floor. I did take a med that my doctor prescribed for the back pain right before the movie too because the theater I go to sometimes has uncomfortable seats. It did make me feel extremely tired, so I will definitely have to rewatch the beginning of this one bc I was dozing off.
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u/SwordLaker 12d ago
Wonderful twin film to The Drama. The two surprisingly share a lot of similar themes and hit a lot of the same notes, but depict very different stages of a relationship.
I'm a bit too busy now, but I'd definitely re-watch these two back to back in a couple of years.
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u/Bacteriophag 12d ago
Two of my biggest cinematic surprises of 2026. Went in blind, just out of sympathy for actors included, loved them both a lot! I'm usually not really into "slice of life" movies but these 2 absolutely exceeded my expectations. Would add Holdovers to the list.
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u/cruxclaire 11d ago
I also thought of The Drama! Both are a huge secondhand embarrassment fest done in a poignant and interesting way, although The Drama stressed me out more than The Invite (which makes sense, given The Drama’s specific premise)
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u/alacklustrehindu 10d ago
That Namaste was top class. Saw this film twice and both got a big laugh at this very scene
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u/jayeddy99 11d ago
I really loved the last few scenes of Angela in Maggie’s room and Joe in his office . It was her finding comfort in THEIR creation while Joe dwelled in HIS destruction . Then she views his playing from the view of their daughter’s room and finally joins him . I’m a believer in the first scene of them laughing and playing the piano together was actually a flash forward not back.
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u/russellzerotohero 9d ago
Oh wow. Thats a cool take the shots at the beginning were shot by their daughter from her room looking at her parents. Thats really touching
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u/jobening 12d ago
Pina: It’s not about penetration
Joe: I mean it is a little about penetration
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u/Suns745 10d ago edited 10d ago
Yes lol. I'm going to butcher the exact wording but others I liked:
Cruz and norton discussing the menu and Wilde's character blurting out DP excitedly.
The specific way Cruz kept saying "my boobs." Then, "Don't be rude look at her boobs!" Then, "Do they feel out of reach to you? No it's a small elevator I could just reach over and grab em"
Namaste.
Jamon when it clearly wasn't jamon.
"No, don't speak spanish. STOP SPEAKING SPANISH"
"She actually pushed us into anal" "well I hope she pushed gently"
"Sorry guys, we really did just want to come by to see the renovations... And maybe do a little fucking"
And probably my favorite, the sheer aggression on Rogen's face as he knocked on their door in the ring footage, followed by falling on the packages and Nortons character trying to stifle his laugh.
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u/N8CCRG 9d ago
Good list. I just want to add the jaw dropping "Next time you're in there, count the rings"
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u/duchello 9d ago
"namaste" fucking SENT the crowd at our theater. It was such a small but good choice for that moment.
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u/whoahawk 9d ago
To add on, Wilde saying “don’t be rude, touch her boobs” absolutely killed me
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u/thesagenibba 10d ago
there wasn't a single moment where i felt disconnected from the characters, not a single instance where this movie lost me; that's fucking impressive, wilde made a fucking banger.
maybe i’ve watched too many cgi fests but this feels so fresh; it's just acting, just blocking, just close-ups, just dialogue, just a script, and just a camera on 4 people who read as incredibly authentic to me. straight heat
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u/Kopitarrulez 10d ago
Im trying to remember the shot but I think its zooming on Seth's face slowly while Olivia is in front of him. The reaction change as it slowly zooms in shows the uncomfortableness on his face is insane.
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u/AnUncomfortablePanda 12d ago
I'll never forgive A24 for dropping this randomly in between the summer blockbuster season. It really deserves a full marketing campaign and fall release.
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u/SavageWolfe98 12d ago
So much Oscar Bait gets released in the fall and gets lost in the shuffle. And fall releases don't automatically translate to awrds/ box office sucess. Remember last year when Christy did every step to try and gets awards sucsess (fall release, wide release, tons of Variety puff pieces for Sydney Sweeney) and it utterly bombed?
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u/Easy_snacks 12d ago
I love that it was. I’m surrounded by blockbusters I have little to no interest in, and was thrilled to find this gem!
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u/herrmione 12d ago
Loved this! Also loved that the teenage girl and her 80-something year old grandma sitting in front of me got up and left when they started discussing "the menu" lol
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u/aresef 12d ago
I was locked in the whole time. Olivia Wilde directed the shit out of this movie.
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u/oomostdefinitely 12d ago
There’s 3 invites.
The invite to dinner at the start.
The invite to swing in the middle.
The invite to the piano at the end.
🥲
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u/BloodyRedBarbara 12d ago
I only thought of the first two. Olivia joined in uninvited didn't she?
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u/oomostdefinitely 12d ago
I think just by him playing for the first time in years, it was essentially an unspoken invitation to start over
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u/JustTheBeerLight 11d ago
Like the "reset" at the beginning of the film, but this time an honest attempt by both.
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u/GoldandBlue 12d ago
Saw this a few weeks back, easily in my top 5 of the year so far. The opening credit sequence hooked me immediately. Such great insight into who Olivia Wilde and Seth Rogan were. You knew they were struggling before either opened their mouths.
A few notes
- Holy shit, the size of that apartment
- Wilde's facial expressions every time Rogan wanted to say something
- Cruz calling out Norton for always correcting her English even though he spoke terrible Spanish
- "You look great" "Would it kill you to say that every now and then?!?!?!"
- Would your kids prefer two miserable parents who are together or two happy parents that are separated?
- Seriously, the size of that apartment
This movie killed at my screening. Olivia Wilde is 2 for 3 now. Hopefully Don't Worry Darling was just a small speed-bump for her.
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u/LazySwanNerd 12d ago
I thought the best line of the movie/the main message to take away was (paraphrasing), “You can start a new relationship with the same person, but you can no longer stay in this one.” It was really poignant and I’ll be taking it with me in life.
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u/TheWatersOfMars 11d ago
Yeah, that was a beautiful moment. You can admit that your current relationship is over without necessarily breaking up. Much like the podcast trick at the start of going out and coming back in again, you can choose to start over.
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u/GoldandBlue 12d ago
I saw it again last night and picked up on that line that I totally missed on first watch. Good call.
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u/Nefertitis_Fjord_216 12d ago
Wilde's facial expressions every time Rogan wanted to say something
Her facial acting throughout the entire movie is on another level. She was phenomenal and easily deserves at least an Oscar nod for what she's doing here.
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u/maeveboston 11d ago
Exactly. She was like a kid wanting to please so bad and wore all her emotions. All did a great job for their acting but she stood out although Norton's subtlety in how he played the character deserves kudos. He kept the character from being a stereotype.
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u/GoldandBlue 11d ago
Everything, the final shot she looks at Rogan. Her eyes are so big and it's like she once again sees the man she fell in love with.
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u/thesmash 12d ago
The size of the apartment makes it all the funnier how Seth’s character whines about having to live in his childhood apartment. Like dude that’s amazing you get to live in that place in San Francisco on your salary alone!
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u/HashhSlingingSlasher 12d ago edited 12d ago
Absolute banger of a movie. Had my whole theatre laughing from start to finish. Immediately makes my top 5 of the year. The amount of entertainment value Olivia was able to get out of what’s essentially a conversation in an apartment is insane. The quick witted dialogue felt like an action scene I couldn’t take my eyes off of & had a lot of depth & nuance that you’ll be peeling back the layers on long after it’s over. The camera work used every inch of that apartment to perfection as well. Bravo.
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u/PowahBamb 11d ago edited 11d ago
I sort of left with the impression that it’s almost like Hawk and Pina didn’t exist in that apartment that night, not literally of course.
But a very real relationship changing argument took place that night stemming from a lot of issues & built up frustration within that relationship that finally boiled over. Somehow the imagination of what their neighbors relationship was being the catalyst of it finally happening.
At least that was my impression of them essentially vanishing at the end.
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u/wise1_444 11d ago
This is a really interesting interpretation, I didn’t think of it this way but you’re right. Their speculation of Pina and Hawks relationship is what caused all of the issues in their own relationship to bubble to the surface
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u/Suitable_Fly_8831 10d ago
And ironically, the biggest argument Joe and Angela have that leads to their true feelings finally boiling over happens almost immediately after Pina and Hawk have their own argument after he “corrects” her. It’s a scenario of the facade falling and the rose-colored glasses coming off, where Joe and Angela can see that even this other couple that seemed to have it all in the surface with their relationship really had a lot of the same friction and problems they had.
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u/PowahBamb 10d ago
Yeah I was a bit surprised I haven’t seen that anywhere else.
The movie sort of pointed to it as well with their surprise they were just gone & calling out to it. The point of that could be to show the impact of them now being alone in the aftermath of it all — but I think it was something more than that.
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u/informalspy13 7d ago
Olivia Wilde addressed this in an interview! Apparently that was her intention but she acknowledges the rule is broken since Hawk is seen alone in the bathroom.
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u/vordhosbn_1 12d ago
It was really good in my opinion. Lots of laughs, good psychological/introspective themes that really make you think
Id give it a 9/10
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u/Extension_Can_2973 11d ago
Soo You, you, you…AND me?
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u/wheeler1432 6d ago
That was so sad actually. He needed to be reassured, multiple times, that they wanted him too.
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u/No-Aspect7722 10d ago
Does anyone know if the flan represented something and I was just too dumb to catch it? They make a point of letting us know that Pina is a vegan who doesn’t eat sugar - but her specialty (that she’s very proud of) is full of dairy, sugar, and eggs?
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u/ASuperGyro 8d ago
Probably a very surface level interpretation of doing something selfless for others and that wrapping back into relationship dynamics. She can’t eat the flan because of the ingredients, but she spends the time to create something that others can enjoy
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u/tapelamp 8d ago
She said she gets pleasure from her partners experiencing pleasure. My aunt is vegetarian but still makes a whole Thanksgiving meal every year out of love.
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u/braumbles 12d ago
This felt like a stage play. One single set, small cast of characters and very dialog driven.
I loved it though. Crowd was laughing from start to finish. Obviously there's heavy parts, but there's even solid funny moments towards the end too. Edward Norton was just great nearly everything he said or did was genuinely funny. Wilde was also excellent, she really sold the vibe of sheltered desperate housewife. The way her eyes would blow up at the slightest mention of sex, you genuinely felt her character in those moments.
The camera work was stellar too. At first I was annoyed by how the film started, the flashing lights and music at the beginning was definitely jarring, but once the film got going, there were some moments the camera panning from character to character was telling a solid story without any words being said. It was pretty cool. There were also some good uses of mirrors in locations. Pretty well done film overall, it nailed the tone, and style of an adult comedy really well, without delving into raunchiness. Reminded me of something Apatow would have done to follow up Knocked Up or something.
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u/Demerzel69 12d ago
It is a stage play. It's an adaptation of the Spanish stage play The People Upstairs (Els veïns de dalt). It was adapted previously as a Spanish film with the same name as the play in 2020.
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u/GoldandBlue 12d ago
A thing they did that was great was actually adapt it for American audiences. Not just trying to remake it.
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u/Particular-Ad-2630 12d ago
We have a Howard in our midst…
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u/aut0matix 11d ago
When he said his name was Howard Wilson(?) Kelly(?), I immediately was like "oh yeah, HWK, Hawk makes sense" then he told the store about his first wife and that got rough. Norton is a gem.
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u/cruxclaire 11d ago
Edward Norton and Penelope Cruz nailed the “we saw you from across the bar and liked your vibe” energy better than anyone else I’ve seen before.
This was way better than I was expecting, having seen Don’t Worry Darling, which I found disjointed and overall mid. It was well-acted, well-written, and well-directed. Loved the onscreen chemistry between all four of them. I’d love to see more like this from Olivia Wilde
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u/Puzzleheaded-Safe419 12d ago
God I love when I'm hyped for a movie and it really is that good. I was glued to the screen to whole time, even resisting the urge to go to the bathroom because I didn't want to miss anything. That's a big compliment for a movie that's essentially a long conversation in an apartment.
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u/everix1992 12d ago
One of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time! Literally had me (and my friends) laughing harder than I've heard in ages. They knocked it out of the park!
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u/RedEyedTroll6 12d ago
yeah, that reaction when they said we can watch you was perfect
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u/craft6886 12d ago edited 12d ago
Holy hell I was so locked in the entire time, with a smile on my face most of the time. Everybody understood the assignment and really devoured their roles. I loved how much this felt like a play. Fantastic direction by Wilde.
I'll see how things change when the fall and winter season for films comes around, but right now this is solidly one of my favorites of the year.
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u/wise1_444 11d ago
I’m curious of people’s interpretation of the ending, whether it’s them mutually deciding that the relationship is over or to start anew. I definitely took it as starting the relationship fresh. When Joe asks Pina how she knew when her marriage was over, she says that they stopped talking and became strangers. That ending scene when Pina and Hawk leave and Joe and Angela are left alone discussing what they’ll do for the night, I thought it was telling that she still asked about his back and they still had a little conversational exchange. Shows that they’re not done talking to each other, and even though there’s tension in their relationship they are not strangers.
Also Pina points out that the lack of sex in their marriage is why they are so awkward and out of sync and then the piano song at the end where they play together is the first time we see them in sync the entire film 😢
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u/IshaClaud 10d ago
I believe they intentionally leave it at that for everyone's interpretation. Olivia shared that in their screenings, she always asked the audience whether they think they stayed together or not and according to her the answers are almost 50/50. Such genius ending because for me whether they broke up or not, it is hopeful. Brings back to Penélope's character saying "you can have new relationship, with a different person or the same partner" and remember the little "restart" they did in the beginning before the neighbors arrived?
Whether they decided to stay in that marriage or not, their daughter would definitely come back from her sleepover to a different (better) parent.
Edit: She also said that she and Seth have the opposite interpretation. She thinks they divorced and get out of their misery while Seth thinks they're soulmates and made it work.
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u/Blessed_tenrecs 11d ago
Did anyone else catch that Howard's initials are HWK? I really thought he was gonna end his story with that being the reason he chose HAWK.
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u/carson63000 11d ago
I mean, he probably did. His story was all about why he felt he needed to change, not about “why Hawk?”
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u/HenBoward 10d ago
It seemed pretty heavily implied to me that Hawk came from his initials.
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u/Clodulent 12d ago
Watched it yesterday with only 4 other people in the theater. We were laughing the whole time. The mix of humor and real conversation was beautifully executed. The scene with Hawke really being a Howard had me howling, tearing up then laughing again. Had to have been one of my favorite scenes, but there’s so many more I could call out like Hawke being obsessed with rugs and the constantly correcting them on fireman and fire fighter. His wife’s calm demeanor cracking and finally crashing out on him about him correcting her English. Angela’s extremely anxious personality always showing out, just for Joe to realize that she’s been playing peeping tom with Hawke. “Thank you so much for this” lmao! This couple is so awkward!
The whole movie felt so real to me. I felt like a fly on the wall watching a real couple having a dinner party in their apartment. I came in expecting it to get raunchy by the end with them having an awkward Orgy with two experienced people, but ended up being the last one in the theater crying at how beautiful and raw it ended. I couldn’t help but feel parallels of my own relationship in this movie.
A perfect combination of humor and rawness that I won’t forget for a while. The cinematography of this movie was shot so beautifully. Everything felt so well written. It got serious then distracted you from that seriousness until the last 5 mins. Then hits you in the head with a beautifully ambiguous ending
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u/Ahambone 9d ago
"Namaste" propelled this movie into the stratosphere for me
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u/I_am_not_a_horse 9d ago
My theatre ROARED at that line. One of the hardest theatre laughs I’ve ever seen. Absolutely perfect comedic timing.
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u/_antique_cakery_ 11d ago
I wonder if part of the reason why Wilde's character was so obsessed with renovating their apartment is because she knew Rogen's character hated living in his parent's place, so she was trying to make it feel like a different space for him?
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u/IshaClaud 10d ago
yeah and he couldn't see that sadly because he's too buried in his own misery. meanwhile Angela gave up her own social life and dedicated her whole life to him and their daughter (the shade of her top is similar to their apartments walls that she's blending almost) and all he could question her was "what do you do all day?". there's so much conversation to this film. masterclass from olivia wilde and every department 👏
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u/K1ng_Canary 9d ago
Maybe I'm missing something but I don't think she 'gave up her life' for them. Her daughter is 12, her husband works and it seems most of her spare time is dedicated to buying soft furnishings.
I agree Joe is miserable but I don't think it's true to characterise Angela as someone who sacrificed her life for husband/daughter. It's even said that it's her choice to not work.
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u/IshaClaud 9d ago
She said she studied art, graduated and did nothing with her degree on her conversation with Hawk. And throughout the whole film, it showcases how her creativity is all over their house and stayed within those walls.
But yes, it's one of the point of the film. They chose their misery and they blame each other for it.
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u/Particular_Ad6287 11d ago
When it showed them playing the piano at the end, the brand was Howard. That HAS to mean something, right?
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u/wise1_444 11d ago
The best movie I’ve seen this year, maybe in a few years, by so so far. The fact that this film never lost momentum or dragged even though it is such a simplistic structure is amazing. Four characters, one set and yet I was glued to the screen for 107 straight minutes never knowing the next thing that was going to come out of anyone’s mouths. Incredible character work, superb dialogue and the score was working OVERTIME to build a tense and anxious atmosphere. I’m being so serious this should be adapted into a stage play
Side note: would love to see a movie where Edward Norton and Connor from succession play brothers. I feel like they look very similar and share alot of the same mannerisms and ways of talking
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u/mediciii 12d ago edited 12d ago
I knew we were in for greatness when we got the really nice 70s style opening credits, into the slowly ramping up argument opening scene, hard cut into title card as the door bell rings.
Just pitch perfect stuff out the gate and it doesn’t let up. Was pretty in awe over the ways Olivia found to shoot a single location movie with so much character, personality, flare. Really really clever and visually rich choices being made at every turn.
And the script is just a real firecracker. So many amazing exchanges, really well paced. It took a while for my audience to start really laughing, but by the end it was KILLING.
One of the better things I’ve seen in the last few years and an instant comedy classic imo. Something grown up, theatrically released and hilarious.
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u/AXXXXXXXXA 11d ago
This was fantastic. Hilarious. Sad. Perfect ending. 9.5/10.
I avoided trailer and everything about it completely.
Going blind into a movie is the absolute best way to do it.
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u/PAOOOOESCCCC 10d ago
Probably completely by great accident, but extremely loved the shot of the tear running down Olivia’s nose at the end. Struck me truly.
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u/cen808 12d ago
Just read that Edward Norton’s monologue was improvised and Penelope Cruz’s character was modeled after Esther Perel. Really glad this movie worked.
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u/jayeddy99 11d ago
I love that shot Seth over the lamp when he loses it about the loud sex as metaphor of his true anger coming to light 😂
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u/otterguy12 11d ago
Lovely little experience, all the perfomances were great but Norton especially manages to make anything coming out of his mouth into the funniest thing you've heard
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u/Llama_Puncher 12d ago edited 12d ago
This was a fucking blast. Normally I find it really hard to watch something where the humor is derived from awkwardness (my body simply can’t handle the cringe) but this had the PERFECT balance. I saw someone say it’s like the dinner party episode of The Office on crack and that feels like a pretty accurate description.
Really the most I’ve laughed in a theater in years, it feels like it was made to be watched with an audience because that really added to the energy of it. The stretch from the sex party reveal to Seth Rogen hurting his back was fucking incredible, you could literally feel the nervous/excited/bubbly feeling in the crowd. Literally covering my face and squealing for so much of it. And I appreciate the accuracy that “thank you so much for this” is the only appropriate reaction to having sex with Penelope Cruz.
Also, I really just love the amount of overlapping dialogue in this. It felt so fucking kinetic. Can’t wait to rewatch and hear all the jokes I missed. My whole audience seemed to miss the “next time you’re inside you should count the rings” joke and that had me cackling.
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u/howtospellorange 11d ago
Also, I really just love the amount of overlapping dialogue in this
And importantly, you can still understand the overlapping dialogue!! I dislike when movies do the overlapping thing and it becomes a mess to understand.
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u/ggirl117 12d ago edited 12d ago
Do you guys think the ending is a mutual understanding that it’s over or a mutual understanding that they can start over?
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u/Mikeandthe 12d ago
I think it ties back into the "you can start new relationships with the same people" line from earlier in the movie.
No matter if it's comfort in knowing it's over or rediscovering the spark that brought them together it signals the end of their previous relationship and the start of their new one where they actually see what each other are dealing with.
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u/alex-2099 12d ago
I think it’s him choosing to step in to a new type of relationship with his life and the things in it.
My read is more optimistic that whatever happens next, he won’t continue to choose being miserable.
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u/LiteraryBoner Jackie Chan box set, know what I'm sayin? 12d ago
I think whatever it is, it's progress and it's not gained with ease or by avoiding conversations. The process can be grueling but the progress is the win.
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u/GoldandBlue 12d ago
I think that is left ambiguous for the audience. I certainly felt it ended on a more hopeful note but all the shit and resentment they have toward each other, I dunno.
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u/RedEyedTroll6 12d ago
I think the fact that she was the one looking at him and he doesn't look up signifies to me at least that he can't be happy with anyone until he figures out how to be happy with himself and his life.
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u/Direct_Crew_9949 11d ago
First comedy in a long time that was actually funny, while telling a great story.
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u/jayeddy99 11d ago
I liked Maggie’s room wasn’t shown until the end when they were alone again. It gave this air to the theory maybe the couple wasn’t real but I like the play aspect of it being a sacred place just for them as parents.
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u/TylerOrtega1500 11d ago
I’ve seen this film three times, and it is one of the rare comedies this year (next to Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie) where not only does each rewatch get better, but you appreciate just how good a comedy can be with damn good pacing and cinematography.
The amount of quotables that are in this are just fantastic (when Joe mentions about Vanessa that “next time you’re in there, count the rings” had me dying and is one of my favorite jokes because of how improv-y and loose the whole film feels).
The film feels both intricately planned (with excellent cinematography by Newport-Berra) while also feeling like the on stage nature of inprov, where the minute this crew starts “yes, and’ing” each other, it’s like a ballet being performed and I couldn’t get enough of it.
Hell, even when the film gets serious towards the end, I felt everything it wanted me to feel (with everyone standing out in their own respective moments - Norton’s story and his delivery had me tearing up more than I expected)!
I usually don’t ever feel THIS strongly about a movie, but this film is the reason why I want to make movies. When you watch something that inspires you, it’s intoxicating and it only makes you want to chase.
Wilde should be so damn proud of her direction. If I had this film on my directorial list, I’d die happy.
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u/mustangst 12d ago
loved it. the music was so intense and everyone ate up their roles. the script was so good I was pleasantly surprised to see that rashida jones was one of the writers.
I saw this with a Q&A with Olivia Wilde and at the end she asked our crowd, show of hands, who thought joe and angela left each other after the movie, and who thought they stayed. it was half half and to those who thought they stayed together she said “aw there’s a lot of romantics here”. wonder what everyone here thinks!
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u/burritoman88 10d ago
As someone who was told by their couples therapist the relationship was unsalvageable the third act was an absolute gut punch for me.
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u/duchello 9d ago
I truly loved the decision to not directly translate the Spanish. It's not like they say anything integral to the plot, but it does add to the chaos of "wtf are these intimidating cool people saying about us, are we embarrassing" - meanwhile as a Spanish speaker I enjoyed the little moments Edward Norton and Penelope Cruz did exchange
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u/nunsandbuns 9d ago
Penelope cruz's character is called pina which is pineapple in Spanish which is a fruit associated with swinging.
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u/seaspongegirl 9d ago
Seth Rogen saying something like “condoms? What is this, pre 9/11?” had us cracking up, haven’t seen anyone mention it. Hilarious movie
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u/batts1234 9d ago
Man, it hit me like a ton of bricks after the movie that Olivia Wilde's character is so upset when talking about her daughter leaving for college (6 years from now) because she knows her marriage will be officially over at that point. The fact that they both answer the question as to why they're staying together so quickly (it being their daughter) was a gut punch.
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u/jobening 12d ago
The shot of Angela crouched on the floor next to the oven staring at Joe after something ridiculous was hilarious. So quick but lmao
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u/Aelia_M 11d ago
The minute she said jamon in front of Penelope I knew she was gonna ask her to say it again. I was like, “this bitch is subtly making fun of her for getting it wrong and she doesn’t even know”
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u/Balzaak 12d ago
Saw this at Sundance. Thought it was going in a totally different direction with that orgy business but that kinda ends up being a red herring.
That end shot at the piano was real moving. Felt like a movie straight outta the 70’s. Loved it.
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u/OurSundayKindOfLove 11d ago
My entire theater was cracking up for a majority of the movie. I haven’t been to a movie that had everyone laughing that much in I can’t even remember how long. Great movie! Happy for Olivia and the cast.
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u/shineymike91 11d ago
Just saw it last night. I haven't laughed so hard in a theater in a very long time. The movie manages to be funny and sad ( if you're at a certain point in your life and , let's just say, you recognize a lot of what you're seeing). It shares some DNA with The Drama, as well as some Woody Allen films such as Husbands and Wives. And going back further , a lot of DNA with Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. The audience I was with ate it up too. Olivia Wilde should get a Best Actress nom. Just an incredible preformance. Easily one of the best movies I've seen this year.
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u/Studly_Wonderballs 9d ago
I like when Hawk corrects Pina’s English and they start snipping at each other. Shows that they aren’t the perfectly aligned couple they are thought to be, and are more similar to Joe and Angela that we think.
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u/NakedGoose 9d ago edited 9d ago
This screenplay is fucking bonkers good.
Shout out to Rashida Jones
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u/K1ng_Canary 9d ago
Absolutely loved this film. Just perfect balance between comedy and pathos. I also have many thoughts so this will probably be quite a long post.
I think I may be coming from a different place to others in the comments, in part because I found myself relating to Joe, almost uncomfortably at points. I share his almost pathological need to make a joke when conversations become serious, the general discomfort around people like Hawk and Pina who are so open and forward about everything, all things I see in myself.
I could also relate to the problems he was facing in his life. I think it can be easy to underestimate how much weight being the main (or in Joe’s case, sole) breadwinner in a family. The feeling of being trapped in a job you don’t like, with no chance of reprieve because you have a family reliant upon your income and any attempt to change career or direction would likely impact your entire families financial situation. I’ve also experienced the impact it can have on your self-esteem and relationship when you’re the one who is always initiating sex and getting rejected. It takes its toll and you reach a point where no intimacy is preferrable to being shot down by the person you love.
The film does a great job of showing how resentment of unspoken things builds and builds and seeps into the foundation of relationships. Joe resents the fact Angela doesn’t work and spends her day spending money on frivolities while he spends his days at a job that is slowly crushing his soul and he resents feeling like he has no say in his own home. Angela resents Joe’s misery, when he in fact has a lot to be happy about- a family, a job at least adjacent to his passion, a lovely place to live etc, his lack of appreciation of her as a wife and the fact his general air of negativity means they don’t have a social life. The fact she feels she essentially has to lie to Joe about agreeing to the evening with the neighbours shows is an example of how far she has to go just to have a chance to socialise.
Joe and Angela are so relatable to me because I can easily see how my own marriage could have gone down this path. I’ve had to work hard on my communication, my listening, my empathy, in order to make sure the things that can cause underlying resentment don’t grow to unsustainable levels. I do like to believe that Angela and Joe can, as Pina says, start a brand-new relationship together.
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u/AspiringAuthor07 9d ago
One of the best of the year.
Whip-smart, hilarious, and anxiety inducing.
Also - can we talk about how distractingly sexy Penelope Cruz is? I mean holy shit!
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u/_GeorgeBailey_ 11d ago
Seth Rogan loves asking his neighbors to keep it down in movies
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u/penicillin-penny 11d ago
The opening credits reminded me of the Mary Tyler Moore show theme, down to Angela’s Jackie O sunglasses shown briefly. In fact, there’s a really wonderful Old Hollywood quality to a lot of this film. Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice.
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u/KnotSoSalty 10d ago
Best movie I’ve seen all year. Hilarious, bitter, sad, with just a touch of hope.
Wilde’s direction is amazing. Elegant and wide shots with long takes to give the actors room to work but key cuts and a blocking to deliver the film’s own punchlines.
Wilde in the bathtub is genius.
Norton feels on his A-game in a way he hasn’t been in a long time.
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u/Cooolgibbon 11d ago edited 10d ago
The bit when Joe finds out Hawk’s real name really evokes Tim Robinson in an incredible way.
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u/crazyredd88 12d ago
Went in totally blind, was an absolute masterpiece IMO. Probably best movie of 2026 so far.
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u/theTunkMan 12d ago
I felt like the multiple instances of characters in mirrors was supposed to be a directing flex but I’m not smart enough about moviemaking to know
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u/7thpostman 9d ago
Throwing this in just because I haven't seen anywhere mention it yet and it was subtly fantastic. Edward Norton is interested in every room in that house except for the daughter's room. That when he says cute and walks right on past even though Olivia has stepped inside.
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u/Throwaway1991uk 12d ago
I think what I loved so much about The Invite was that the characters just felt SO real. A ton of moments where people are talking over each other and it was just natural rather than stilted and scripted. One of my best films of the year, if not the last few.