SethRogan – Credits Rolling

The Invite, directed by Olivia Wilde, is the type of film where you think you know what is going to happen, but it ends up being something else entirely. Going into it as blindly as possible is best because it allows the audience to fully immerse themselves in all that is about to unfold. Even then, nothing can prepare you for what’s to come.

Joe (Seth Rogan) and Angela’s (Olivia Wilde) marriage is on thin ice. When they invite their elusive neighbors Pina (Penelope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton) upstairs for a dinner party, the evening escalates into something neither of them could have ever expected.

There couldn’t have been a better choice for each of these characters. They became these flawed and colorful individuals; everything about their performances was just effortless. Rogan brought his usual funny guy schtick, but this time with a self deprecating flair. His one liners and facial expressions had me cracking up. Wilde, who pulled double duty, was phenomenal. A true mix of comedy and heartbreak, she really gave it her all. Cruz exuded her usual allure and sex appeal while Norton smashed it as the strong, but silent type. The chemistry between the four of them was electric and I could feel it all the way through.

We all know how much I love a locked room setting and this one was no exception. Tensions, emotions and all that’s in between were at a fever pitch. It started slowly though it was obvious that something was brewing under the surface. As it continued to grow, those feelings only intensified. Thanks to the brilliant performances and the impeccable script by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, this only made the entire experience better.

Let’s get one thing straight – The Invite packed a punch. I’ve been thinking non-stop about it since and that’s because it has so many layers to it. At the end of the day, the reason why it resonated with me so much is because it’s about how being an adult is reconciling with who you truly are with who you actually wanted to be. I know I’ve hit that point in my life and I’m sure many of you have too. So, because of that reason, I implore you to watch this film. It may just be my favorite of the year so far.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

When the world was staying home during the pandemic, people used this time to improve their health while others opted to spend more time with family. Then there were those who picked up a new hobby – much like Keith Gill aka Roaring Kitty (Paul Dano) did when he started buying stock in GameStop. What started innocently enough soon turned into a revolution with everyone around the nation following in this regular guy’s footsteps.

I’ll admit that I didn’t know much about this story. My husband followed it and couldn’t wait to see this version of what went down, but I went into it almost blindly. What an eye opening experience! While the financial jargon went over my head a few times, I have to say that I became totally invested and learned a lot.

Biographies can be hard to pull off because one never knows how much or how little include of someone’s life. But I thought the pacing here was done so well; the tone was set right from the get go and as soon as things got going, it didn’t let up for one second. While the events took place over a specific period of time, it still felt cohesive and sequential.

The cast was filled with some big names such as Seth Rogan, Nick Offerman, Anthony Ramos, Sebastian Stan, Shailene Woodley and America Ferrara, though the standouts for me were Pete Davidson and Paul Dano. The former completely stole every single scene he was in and had me in stitches. He was the typical dipshit brother and he worked it so well. And then of course was Paul Dano. This is his film. He embodied Kitty so perfectly and was the driving force throughout. I’m starting to realize there isn’t anything this guy can’t do.

I went into Dumb Money expecting one thing and walked out of the cinema having experienced something completely different. I mean that in the best way possible! It was such a wild, educational ride with exceptional performances from everyone. A definite home run for me.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️