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The Invitation

Play trailer 2:10 Poster for The Invitation 2016 1h 39m Mystery & Thriller Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
90% Tomatometer 117 Reviews 69% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
While attending a dinner party at his former house, a man starts to believe that his ex-wife and her new husband have sinister plans for the guests.
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The Invitation

The Invitation

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Critics Consensus

The Invitation makes brilliant use of its tension-rich premise to deliver a uniquely effective -- and surprisingly clever -- slow-building thriller.

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Critics Reviews

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Max Weiss Baltimore Magazine 07/26/2016
3.5/4
Is this a film about grief masquerading as a horror film -- or vice versa? Go to Full Review
Calvin Wilson St. Louis Post-Dispatch 04/21/2016
3.5/4
Psychological thrillers just don't get any better than this. Go to Full Review
J. R. Jones Chicago Reader 04/21/2016
Beautifully paced, the movie traces a steady arc from amiability to apocalypse. Go to Full Review
Eddie Harrison film-authority.com 5h
3/5
‘…an effective pot-boiler that whittles down the numbers to a predictable punch-line…’ Go to Full Review
David Day Horror Movie Talk Aug 11
10/10
I think my favorite part of The Invitation is the discomfort that you feel in a party is so well intoned, and all of the acting matches so well with the characters and their desires/intentions. It feels real, and it feels upsetting, and I love it. Go to Full Review
Isabella Liistro Loud and Clear Reviews 01/18/2025
There are no scenes, characters, or bits of dialogue that don’t belong. The tension builds and builds until we’re left with a masterful final shot that’s so subtle, but the implication is chilling. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Alice C. @RT27908484 3d DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME! We went into this movie expecting the an amazing horror/thriller, with all the great reviews, and found ourselves cheering when the commercials came on so we could finally get a break. the actors, horrible. the plot, horrible. the absolute best part of this movie was when we were blessed with the credits! the directors completely forgot them were even making a horror movie and instead gave us an awkward 90 minute dinner party. if your waiting for it to get better it doesn’t. See more Peter C @RT59700763 4d The Invitation creates a constant sense of unease as you keep wondering why Will—and everyone else—continues to stay at this increasingly uncomfortable dinner party despite the many red flags. It’s not a jump-scare horror movie; instead, it’s a slow-burn psychological thriller that steadily builds tension. The film keeps you questioning what’s really going on with several twists along the way, all leading to a powerful and memorable ending. See more Neifert C @NeifertC Mar 11 I went into this film hoping for a tense, suspenseful thriller because it had such great reviews...it was the most slow, boring, not tense slog fest for 1 hr 20 mins until the director and screenplay seemed to remember that we're supposed to be in a thriller and finally decides to let something, ANYTHING happen! How does this have 90% Fresh on RT?! Did critics get a completely different movie because the ending was not worth the hour and a half of my life I will never get back from this boring film that's trying to make you feel like you're paranoid or anxious, but really it just makes you wanna leave the party and go home, figuratively AND literally. See more Nico S. @sn0wball13 Mar 7 Slow start, but it builds anticipation. Great movie! See more Sarah T @MomSm88 Mar 7 This movie started out slow and awkward. It remained slow and awkward for more than half of the movie. When finally something happened , it didn't make any sense. I don't understand how and why this movie has such great reviews. It's almost as if people are brain dead or something. See more Rinyesh J @rin05 Feb 26 It's worth a watch. This movie is a great psychological thriller, but the screenplay is slow, making it feel a little long. The buildup feels slow, but the climax makes up for it. You have to pay close attention to everyone's behavior to understand the story. There are many blanks in the story, and we are left to assume. The ending will catch you off guard. Till the last 20 mins, everything feels so dragged out, but it builds up to a big finale that delivers, but feels rushed. The ending will leave you stunted. See more Read all reviews
The Invitation

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Movie Info

Synopsis While attending a dinner party at his former house, a man starts to believe that his ex-wife and her new husband have sinister plans for the guests.
Director
Karyn Kusama
Producer
Martha Griffin, Matt Manfredi, Phil Hay, Nick Spicer
Screenwriter
Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi
Distributor
Drafthouse Films
Production Co
XYZ Films, Lege Artis Film, Gamechanger Films
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 8, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$231.7K
Runtime
1h 39m
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