Nicholas Stoller, greatest recognized for Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Neighbors, fails to capitalize on the chemistry between his two stars on this wasted alternative of a comedy.
Plot: When two weddings are unintentionally booked on the identical day on the identical venue, every bridal get together is challenged with preserving their household’s particular second. In a hilarious battle of willpower, the daddy of the bride and sister of the opposite bride chaotically go head-to-head as they cease at nothing to uphold an unforgettable celebration for his or her family members.
Evaluation: Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon clashing over competing weddings on the identical venue on the identical day sounds enjoyable. Even the preliminary trailer for You’re Cordially Invited gave me some hope that the Nicholas Stoller-directed comedy would give us a one-two punch of actors to root for as they attempt to undermine each other. With Stoller liable for a number of the funniest romantic comedies of the final many years, together with directing Forgetting Sarah Marshall and writing The Muppets, I remained hopeful that this film would grow to be higher than the lukewarm reception to the trailer. Whereas Ferrell and Witherspoon exhibit surprisingly robust on-screen chemistry, the film wastes a lot of its humor early on. It results in a movie that shortly loses steam regardless of a succesful forged of actors able to have enjoyable with the fabric. You’re Cordially Invited wastes what may have been an amazing idea by mashing collectively two half-hearted plotlines that by no means actually generate a lot humor.
Because the trailers confirmed, You’re Cordially Invited follows Jim (Will Ferrell), father to Jenni (Geraldine Viswanathan). A widower afraid to lose his daughter, Jim reserves the Georgia trip spot on Palmetto Island, the place he and Jenni’s mom acquired married to Jenni and her fiance Oliver (Stony Blyden). Unbeknownst to them, actuality tv producer Margot (Reese Witherspoon) booked the identical spot for her sister Neve (Meredith Hagner) and her unique dancer fiance Dixon (Jimmy Tatro). The small cottage on Palmetto Island can solely accommodate one get together per weekend, so when each clans descend, they have to work out a strategy to coexist. Jim, who clings intently to his solely daughter, initially appears cordial with Margot’s intense business-minded strategy. Margot is near her sister however looks like a black sheep in comparison with her siblings, together with Gwyneth (Leeanne Morgan) and Colton (Rory Scovel), and distant from her mom, Flora (Celia Weston). With their very own baggage to kind out, Jim and Margot press one another’s buttons as they start to sabotage one another’s celebrations, resulting in catastrophe for everybody.
At first, You’re Cordially Invited had me chuckling as tiny issues cascade right into a catastrophe for every get together. From climate to mistaken identification to overheard insults and a clumsy efficiency of the Dolly Parton-Kenny Rogers duet “Islands in the Stream,” every thing that would go fallacious does. However, forty-five minutes into the movie, many of the jokes proven within the trailer have occurred on display with out a lot extra humor. Losing a number of the greatest jokes early makes the movie really feel prefer it treads water for the remainder of the operating time, a lot of which is concentrated on Jim and Margot feeling sorry for themselves as they’re content material with the prospect of being with out a very powerful relations. Even cameos from Wyatt Russell, Bobby Moynihan, Nick Jonas, and Peyton Manning can’t assist elevate the bar on what transforms from what ought to have been a Neighbors-esque battle between two gifted actors right into a run-of-the-mill romantic comedy. That’s proper; You’re Cordially Invited squanders the chemistry between the 2 leads by burying the true core of the movie into the closing act.
Every of the 2 wedding ceremony get together narratives may have been the main target of a separate movie had sufficient planning and focus been put into telling their respective tales. Geraldine Viswanathan and Stony Blyden play caricatures of Technology Z {couples} debating their romantic future. That is a simple discussion board to mock the divide between Technology X and Z divide. As a substitute, we get a few temporary moments with Keyla Monterosso Mejia attending to have enjoyable as Jenni’s maid of honor, Heather, and never a lot else. On the flip aspect, Meredith Hagner and Jimmy Tatro are likable as newlyweds, however comic Leanne Morgan and Rory Scovel are wasted as enjoyable Southern cliches. Bringing these disparate teams collectively may have additionally been a boon for Fortune Feimster and Jack McBrayer because the proprietors of the Palmetto Inn, who additionally don’t get to do a lot within the total movie exterior of show-up at key moments to mug for the digicam. If not for Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon, this film would have been a whole misfire, however even they can not carry the complete movie.
Nicholas Stoller, who wrote and directed the movie, is aware of about pitting stars towards one another after helming Neighbors and its sequel. Stoller additionally has had an amazing partnership with Jason Segel on Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The 5 Yr Engagement, and The Muppets whereas crafting the underappreciated Billy Eichner romcom Bros in 2022. Stoller squanders Will Ferrell’s comedic vary by not permitting him to go all out, both comedically or dramatically, right here. Equally, Reese Witherspoon is caught enjoying her character as solidly comedic with out pushing into the story’s dramatic components in any significant method. After we are presupposed to root for Ferrell’s Jim and Witherspoon’s Margot to get collectively, it’s too late. The film has a number of “Islands in the Stream” performances, which ought to inform you how a lot time was spent creating the story. I gained’t lie, and I did snort a number of occasions throughout You’re Cordially Invited, however not practically as typically as I ought to have.
You’re Cordially Invited is one other film that has been saved from field workplace catastrophe by premiering straight to streaming and can seemingly be a average success for Prime Video, because of Valentine’s Day in a few weeks. Essentially the most stunning factor about this film is how a lot I loved seeing Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon share the display, and I’m very dissatisfied that it was not targeted on them extra. I by no means would have anticipated to love the pairing of those two as romantic companions, however now I’m aggravated that it was not in a greater movie than You’re Cordially Invited. There are laughs to be ha,d however far fewer than there ought to be in a film boasting this sort of expertise.
