Well, it seems that there is a surfeit of movies about creepy-ass dinner parties lately. Right after watching Coherence (see my previous review), I sought out another film about a dinner party where something just isn't right: The Invitation. Directed by Kayrn Kusama, this little creeper of a film is being listed as among the "best of 2016 so far". It's currently streaming on Netflix (I'm pissed at myself because I paid 5 bucks to rent it on Amazon streaming literally less than a week before I saw it was added to Netflix), so I really, really recommend you watch it with zero context. Go ahead, I'll wait...
Spoilers!
Ok, now that you watched the movie, I think you'll agree with me that the one flaw of The Invitation (and it might not even really be a flaw) is that you *know* what's going to happen in the end. I remember reading the tiniest blurb about it, something to the effect of "A man goes to a party at his ex-wife's house and realizes his ex and her new husband have joined a group for people in mourning". And I was like, "group, you say? That means cult. And when people join a cult, there's one thing you can bank on: a bunch of people will die". Ok, and then when they show them that video of that woman dying and the other people "breathing in her soul", I was like, "Yup. All these motherfuckers gon' die".
But here's the thing: even if we feel the inevitability of the ending, The Invitation still manages to shock and surprise us. It's still a really excellent "locked room" style film that starts off tense and ratchets up their fear and feelings of wrongness to 11 before all hell breaks loose.
But let's rewind. The Invitation follows Will (Logan-Marshall Green), a long-haired hipster type who has been invited to a party thrown by his ex-wife Eden (Tammy Blanchard) and her new husband David (Michiel Huisman). This party is in fact taking place at the home Will and Eden shared when they were married with a young son who died in a freak accident. Along for the ride is Will's girlfriend, Kira (Emayatzy Corinealdi). And the guests are all old friends of Eden and Will's, plus some weirdos Eden and David got acquainted with when they spent time in Mexico.
One unbelievable aspect of the film is how calm everyone remains during increasingly bizarre situations at Eden and David's. For example, David keeps all the doors locked from the inside to "prevent burglary". Also, there are bars on the windows. Also, David's offering people insanely expensive wine. While Will finds the whole situation freaky, everyone else seems happy to be reunited after years of estrangement.
And then, of course, David and Eden start talking about "The Invitation"--a group (cult!) for people who have experienced tremendous loss. They show a video about the group where a so-called "Dr. Joseph" (played by character actor Toby Huss) explains "The Invitation" in the way that woo-woos and religious people attempt to "explain" their beliefs by saying nothing concrete about them at all. Also, this video is basically snuff because a person dies in it while people gather at her bedside. Will, of course, is horrified, and a couple folks at the party are disturbed but no seems able to actually say "that's it, I'm out" except for one woman who politely asks to leave. Watching this movie, I'm really glad I've read The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker, a classic you all should read (especially you women reading this blog) about honoring your instincts when you feel that something is wrong. Those of you who know me IRL know I'd be like "get me the fuck out of here, and fuck being polite. These motherfuckers are going to kill everyone!".
But of course the movie can't end yet. Will continues exploring the house he once shared with Eden and becoming more and more paranoid, resulting in an epic freak-out. But he sticks around until after dinner...when his hosts pour everyone an "after dinner drink" for a toast. And that's when all hell breaks loose--and maybe not entirely in the way you expect it to. The final 15 minutes of the film take all the tension and fear that has been slowly collected and built up and blows it up in a fireworks display of violence and panic. And then the final shot gives the viewer one last creepy thrill to leave on.
While some reviews have pointed out that The Invitation doesn't have a "twist", it has a "confirming what we already strongly suspected", I think that's ok. Not every film has to end in a surprise. The movie is just as strong with a foregone conclusion than without. And, honestly, there were times where I thought it *was* all in Will's head. There really is no reliable narrator here, meaning that we don't know who to trust.
The Invitation is the definition of a well-crafted indie film: it's small, with a mostly unknown cast; it's well-acted and uses character interactions to build up tension until it explodes in a (I think) satisfying payoff. Lovers of psychological horror/suspense films will definitely want to accept this Invitation.
Grade: A-
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