Olivia Wilde's The Invite Breaks Ground with Polyamory Comedy, Earning 96% Critical Score

Olivia Wilde's directorial effort, The Invite, has secured a near-perfect 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes, marking one of the year's most critically praised comedies. The R-rated film, starring Seth Rogen and featuring Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz, centers on a married couple who explore non-monogamy when their neighbors introduce them to polyamorous relationships. Released nationwide following a limited June 26 debut, the film addresses modern relationship dynamics in ways Hollywood typically avoids.

Plot and Cast

The film follows Angela and Joe, played by Wilde and Rogen respectively, a couple whose marriage has lost its spark after raising a child together. Their upstairs neighbors, Hawk and Pina (Norton and Cruz), present an alternative—they practice non-monogamy and offer to help reignite the couple's passion. What begins as a dinner party invitation evolves into unexpected complications as the evening spirals. The narrative blends thriller conventions with sexual tension, creating a viewing experience that operates beyond traditional rom-com territory.

Critical Reception and Industry Context

Among 197 professional reviews, The Invite achieved Certified Fresh status on the Tomatometer, though the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes dropped to 92%, with IMDb registering a 7.8 rating. The film faces competition from major summer releases including Disney's Moana remake and Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. Despite a crowded theatrical landscape, critics have recognized the film's approach to depicting alternative relationship structures without framing them as moral failures or punchlines.

For years, cinema has portrayed non-monogamous arrangements either as plot devices in cautionary tales or relegated them to the margins of storytelling. The Invite represents a shift in mainstream representation, offering a narrative where polyamorous characters possess agency and complexity. Critics note the film's significance in normalizing conversations about relationship diversity on screen, particularly through a comedic lens that entertains while exploring genuine emotional stakes.