Motives Are Questioned in ‘The Invitation’

Dyan James

Could it be the dinner party from Hell? Directed by Karyn Kusama (“Jennifer’s Body”), “The Invitation” will please fans of the thriller genre as they watch what unfolds at a social gathering that has questionable intentions.  

The film centers around Will (Logan Marshall-Green), Eden (Tammy Blanchard) and the dire aftermath of losing a child. Eden and Will are in a blissfully happy marriage, lovingly devoted to each other. But everything changes when they must cope after their son is killed. The problem is, Eden can’t manage and she takes off leaving Will alone with his grief and wondering about his long-gone wife who ends up seeking a divorce.

A couple of years pass and Eden eventually marries David (Michiel Huisman). Seemingly out of the blue, the two plan a dinner party and invite, among a cast of colorful characters, Will and his new girlfriend Kira (Emayatzy Corinealdi). Will and Kira skeptically yet willingly accept the random invitation.

The two are greeted with genuine warmth and affection by Eden and David who succeed at breaking the ice over the course of the evening by graciously entertaining all of their guests as food, wine, and relaxed conversation abound. Everyone is having a wonderful time…but Will can’t escape the nagging feeling that something isn’t right. Can he trust these feelings or is his judgment simply clouded by his continued grief and the awkwardness of hobnobbing with his ex-wife and her new husband?

As Will’s underlying nervousness holds steady at the beginning of the gathering, the tension builds among all of the guests and, in true thriller fashion, comes to a head as the real reasons and motives for this “friendly” gathering are revealed.

Fans of Kusama’s wildly successful horror flick “Jennifer’s Body” have anxiously awaited her next scary feature.

“The Invitation” premiered at the SXSW film festival in March 2015 and opens nationwide April 8.