There's no doubt that writer/director Nicholas Stoller is fully capable of turning this Will Ferrell/Reese Witherspoon starrer into the mismatched buddy turned rom-com that it's trying to be. There's also no doubt that both Ferrell and Witherspoon are fully capable of elevating this material, mediocre as it may be, into something special.
In the 2000s and 2010s, Stoller gave us the likes of Forgetting Sarah Marshall and the Neighbors films along with a few others. Whether writing, directing, or producing, Stoller is still more dependable than not and the same can mostly be said for both Ferrell and Witherspoon. However, I can't deny that this middling comedy becomes nearly cringeworthy once the line is crossed and we're forced to buy into a coupling that never convinces no matter how likable both Ferrell and Witherspoon are both on and off-screen. The film's talented ensemble never allows You're Cordially Invited to sink, though neither does the film ever become the entertaining motion picture it ought to be.
Ferrell is Jim, who seems to have become creepily engaged with his daughter Jenni's (Geraldine Viswanathan) life up to and including this point where she's now become engaged to Oliver (Stony Blyden).
Witherspoon is Margot, a stressed out reality television producer somewhat estranged from family but still incredibly devoted to sister Neve (Meredith Hagner).
There's not much surprising that unfolds in You're Cordially Invited, though the film's eventual segue into rom-com may count as an ill-advised cinematic surprise. Separately, Ferrell and Witherspoon are just fine. Together? Not so much.
The two families manage to book the same event space on a small Georgia island through a dark (yet very funny) mishap of sorts. A conflict ensues, of course, followed by compromises that lead us directly to answer the question "What could possibly go wrong?"
You're Cordially Invited hits a decent stride midway through as family dynamics take center stage and Ferrell and Witherspoon play an entertaining game of one-upping one another. I was definitely wishing that Stoller had had the guts to stay the course and turn this into more of an edgy dark comedy.
Alas, that was not to be.
Witherspoon is the real winner here. She's long been a rom-com darling with a hint of a dark side and that's exactly what unfolds here. Ferrell, on the other hand, has always struggled when it comes to digging deeper into the emotional resonance beyond his inherent likability. The comedy? He's an absolute gem, however, when the film turns romantic it's pretty clearly all one-sided.
Among the supporting players, Celia Weston steals every scene she's in as Margot's mom and the family matriarch while Leanne Morgan gets a bit friskier than we're used to seeing her on the big screen - it's a hoot for sure. Jimmy Tatro is also a blast as Dixon, Neve's Chippendale fiance. The always wonderful Fortune Feimster is way underutilized and a cameo by Nick Jonas is wasted.
I never hated You're Cordially Invited and I can't say I regret watching this Amazon MGM Studios release that's available on Amazon Prime Video. However, I also can't imagine ever needing to watch it again and it's definitely on the low-end of the cinematic scale for Stoller, Ferrell, and Witherspoon.
You're cordially invited to simply say "pass" on this middling rom-com that never lives up to its talented cast and strong potential.
Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic
