{"id":30481,"date":"2025-01-30T12:26:18","date_gmt":"2025-01-30T20:26:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=30481"},"modified":"2025-01-30T12:26:18","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T20:26:18","slug":"do-not-rsvp-to-youre-cordially-invited","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=30481","title":{"rendered":"Do Not RSVP To YOU\u2019RE CORDIALLY INVITED"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Running Time: 107 minutes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This feature from Amazon MGM Studios will be available to\nstream on Amazon Prime Video on January 30th<\/sup>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, let me begin by making it clear that Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon are wonderful comedic talents who have starred in a variety of hilarious pictures. But, when you\u2019ve appeared in as many titles as they have, not all the movies can be winners. You\u2019re Cordially Invited<\/em> has an amusing concept. In fact, it took me a bit of time afterward during the drive home to figure out why this effort didn\u2019t work, but by the time I returned home, I did come up with a theory as to why so few of the jokes landed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The story follows two families. The first features an overly\ndoting and widower Jim (Will Ferrell) who unexpectedly learns that his daughter\nJenni (Geraldine Viswanathan) has accepted a marriage proposal. At the same\ntime, workaholic reality TV producer Margot (Reese Witherspoon) learns that her\nyounger sister Neve (Meredith Hagner) is also going to tie the knot. Both\ndecide on a scenic Georgia island resort with sentimental significance as the preferred\nwedding site. But due to a bizarre tragedy, the two parties are accidentally\nbooked on the very same weekend. As they arrive, Jim and Jenni butt heads, but\ntry to work out a schedule to squeeze both nuptials in. However, the two soon\nturn against one another and try to disrupt each other\u2019s groups over the course\nof the weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, the two stars and many supporting cast members are funny and do manage to eke out a couple of laughs from the material. Jim\u2019s reaction to Jenni\u2019s announcement results in an amusing accident and the tragedy that causes the mix-up is darkly funny. When stressed, Margot and Jim occasionally snap into brief, swear-laden tirades that entertainingly contrast their professional demeanor. And, after one nasty exchange on a dance floor, Jim\u2019s less-than-mysterious exit from the area results in the film\u2019s funniest bit of physical comedy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But there\u2019s little else that earns even a smile. Many of the\ncharacters scream at each other, pout and generally act petty around each\nother, which hardly makes them relatable. The wedding venue can\u2019t be altered\nfor either party, so after the initial conflict there is nothing to gain or\nlose, except in the blunt and forced attempts to sabotage each other\u2019s\nnuptials. All those involved have to continually make the poorest decisions and\nlash out in the worst ways possible in order for the story to progress. And\nthus, their strange behavior on display isn\u2019t relatable or funny, just bizarre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This movie could have been a very effective dark satire. The\nfamilies being portrayed are wealthy, and if it had focused on the months\nleading up to the ceremony with the two groups battling over winning the piece\nof real estate, the nastiness would have elevated in a more convincing and\ndramatic manner. Humor could have been derived out of ego-driven parties\nobsessing over appearances and details, potentially ruining their own lives and\ncausing a chaotic, disastrous final event for all parties. It could have been\nhilarious to witness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite Jim and Jenni\u2019s erratic, impulsive behavior in this story (as well as that of some of the supporting characters), we\u2019re actually supposed to like them all. In between the acts of sabotage, there are numerous heartfelt conversations between family members. Despite all the trouble and bickering, all come to realize that despite their differences, everyone loves each other. When these moments are wedged in between over-the-top scenarios, the end result feels phony and preposterous. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Yes, the cast are talented enough to deliver a handful of\nchuckles amidst the fracas, but You\u2019re Cordially Invited <\/em>is a generally disastrous\naffair. It wants to deliver slapstick laughs and shocks while providing warmth\nand sentimentality, and doesn\u2019t manage to succeed. Those involved will\ncertainly go on to better projects in the future, so viewers would be well\nadvised to take a pass on this particular event.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Running Time: 107 minutes This feature from Amazon MGM Studios will be available to stream on Amazon Prime Video on January 30th. First, let me begin by making it clear that Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon are wonderful comedic talents who have starred in a variety of hilarious pictures. But, when you\u2019ve appeared in as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":30482,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[216,1179,1181,4660,8212,13702,16814,17302,24063,24286,24656,24657,24658,24659],"class_list":["post-30481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-movie-reviews","tag-216","tag-amazon","tag-amazon-prime","tag-comedy","tag-geraldine-viswanathan","tag-meredith-hagner","tag-reese-witherspoon","tag-rom-com","tag-wedding","tag-will-ferrell","tag-youre-cordially-invited","tag-youre-cordially-invited-film-review","tag-youre-cordially-invited-movie-review","tag-youre-cordially-invited-review"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":8}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30481","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=30481"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30481\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30481"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=30481"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=30481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}