The Invitation

I'm not going to give a review of this film. I'll leave that to others who can argue whether it was worth watch or not. For me, I feel it was one of the best thrillers with a horror bent that I have seen in a long while. But here's the thing, I don't really like horror films, avoid them most of the time, unless I heard a good word of mouth from someone. That's how I found The Invitation.

After reading the reviews here, I would say the criticism falls in to two opposing camps. Those that thought it was thrilling, terrifying and well done movie and those who thought it was a waste of their time, slow and they saw all the punches coming.

I think the difference is this, the latter camp watches a lot of horror films, nothing surprises them, they are looking for all the little nuances of all the other horror movies they have watched and are comparing them to the film they are currently watching. They are two - three steps ahead of a conventional audience and thus, nothing surprises them. To these folks, I can understand why the film fell flat, it's clear if you put the movie under a microscope you can tell what's going to happen and naturally with the purposefully drawn out pace of this film, they get bored waiting for the payoff.

I, as well as the people who I have give / shown this film to, fall in to the other camp. We rarely watch films like this and therefore are willing to let it all play out without trying the guess what's going to happen next. It's certainly a creepy film and while we might imagine where it's going, we are willing to suspend our expectations and go along for the ride.

My advice, watch this if you enjoy the ride up on the climbing roller coaster without thinking about the plunge when you reach the top.

It's really a film about how social expectations can confine and prevent you from calling out weird and creepy behavior for fear of being rude.

Grief. The melancholic turmoil of loss. A catalyst for unwanted prominent personality alterations that change the very fabric of who we are. Each individual experiences sorrow and subsists through a variety of different methods. Some forgive and forget. Others harness the inability to progress, experiencing a stumbling block of anguish as they continually inflict psychological suffering upon themselves. It is irrefutably the most difficult emotion to overcome, and can overwhelm the strongest of personalities. Kusama's thrilling episode of 'Come Dine With Me' gradually explores the weight of life itself, simply by allowing a group of long-time friends the chance to discuss such a topic. Yet, what enables Kusama's slow-burn thriller to elevate itself into the top echelon of effective profoundness, is its simplicity.

There are no extravagant plot devices. No sublimely utilised twists. And certainly no misplaced character conveniences. By equipping grief and depression as a manifestation of the narrative, Kusama was able to demonstrate her incredibly astute direction through natural plausibilities. Will, portrayed accurately and captivatingly by Marshall-Green, exhumed indications of paranoia. A heightened consequence of his raging anguish. Constantly questioning the actions of other characters, such as locked doors, barred windows and unknown guests, he assumes the role of the audience's perception. We, as the viewer, examine and query each character reveal and emotional complexity simultaneously to Will's interrogative persona. He, essentially, is us. Instantly allowing viewers to relate to him in this unusual circumstance.

Something is not right with this dinner party. He feels it. We feel it. But his instincts are muted by the other guests, naturally due to his heightened state of sorrow, in order to maintain a civilised appearance. That, right there, is the representation of depression. Forced to hide what we really are enduring, with despondent thoughts circling our synapses. It's abundantly intelligent on Kusama's part, who elevated the screenplay to the stratosphere of uneasy, anxiety-inducing storytelling. With the assistance of Shore's cinematography, constantly blurring the outskirts and backgrounds of frames to enhance personable abandonment and solitude, Kusama hosted one of the most engaging dinner parties I've ever attended. Inviting a naturally diverse cast of actors, ranging from different ethnicities to sexual orientation, who inhibit their own character qualities.

An array of components culminating in a third act that switches from first gear to a gear with incalculable speeds. The wine was served, my heart rate increased. I required a towel, I was sweating that much from anxiety. Ignoring the last minute of the feature, which was an eye-rolling moment to say the least, a slow-burn thriller such as this utilises a substantial amount of foreshadowing as its narrative device. Unfortunately, it is inescapable. However, Hay and Manfredi do their utmost best to keep the conversation flowing during times of prognostication. Shapiro's score is also worth mentioning for its sharp string-based chords that increase the chance of sweaty palms.

The Invitation, from the offset, is an incredibly simple thriller. Games are played, wine is served and a few arguments are bound to occur. However, if you cut through Kusama's simplistic exterior, you'll find an extraordinarily intelligent dinner party that evokes a powerful emotional connection. Just, y'know, think twice before accepting an invitation...

Fast forward this film and just watch the last ten minutes. You'll be able to have a conversation with anyone who watched this and they won't be able to detect that you skipped ninety percent of it. Don't send a thank you card, this is a public service.

I don´t mind the slow build-up, I think it´s justified, kind of like the calm before the storm. The problem is how much of it is wasted. We focus on the main character´s grief, which in the end isn´t that important, while the other characters are completely ignored. One tiny conversation with each one of them, that´s all we know. The girlfriend Kira literally disappears for an hour. It often feels like Will is all by himself in that house. Suspicion gets bigger but none of the guests seem to care about anything. There are some small comments, of course, but we have 5 or 6 characters devoid of any personality or will. I feel like some events could have been much stronger if those characters weren´t merely filling the space.

There are some fine things, though, I´d never wanted to punch John Carroll Lynch so hard in the face. The same goes for Lindsay Burdge.