The Invitation

The protagonist and his partner are invited to a dinner party by his ex-wife. At the party, she shares unsettling details about a recent spiritual retreat that changed her perspective on their shared trauma.

This is, to date, the most suspenseful movies I have ever seen. It plays with your expectations and preconceived notions to nudge you to a conclusion; then subverts it. It is remarkable how long it keeps you guessing at the story and second guessing yourself.

One reason why the movie gets away with this are the fantastic performances across the board. There are standout performances by the leads Logan Marshall-Green (Upgrade), Michiel Huisman (The Haunting of Hill House) and Tammy Blanchard (Into the Woods). But it is the smaller characters that ground the story and make it feel so believable.

At its heart, the movie is about trauma and the different ways we find to live with it. One person’s strategy puts them at odds with another one - who is right in their choice? And who has any right to judge? After all, everyone copes differently. As long as it helps, there is no harm. Right?