Very much speaking to just how much times have changed in terms of film distribution, a romantic comedy from the director of such acclaimed titles as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Bad Neighbours, and Bros, and starring proven talent as Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon is releasing straight to the streaming service market.
Oh, and it’s actually good.
Managing to elevate itself beyond what constitutes a “straight to streaming” title nowadays, Prime Video’s You’re Cordially Invited, whilst not groundbreaking in any form, elicits plenty of laughs as it pits Ferrell and Witherspoon’s unlikely enemies against each other in a classic case of situational comedy that brings to mind the days of when such a genre feature would dominate the box office.
Written and directed by Nicholas Stoller, You’re Cordially Invited centres around single dad Jim (Ferrell) and workaholic Margot (Witherspoon), also single, who both have their hearts set on a quaint island inn as the location for the impending nuptials of, respectively, his daughter, Jenni (Geraldine Viswanathan), and her younger sister, Neve (Meredith Hagner). It’s all well and good in theory, but both have booked the inn on the same weekend – the only time it’s available – and due to a deathly misfortune, the manager (Jack McBrayer) hasn’t picked up on the double booking until both parties arrive.
Even though Jim is worried that his Jenni, who he’s abnormally close to, is too young to get married, as well as not being a fan of her husband-to-be (Stony Blyden), he’s determined to give her the wedding she wants. And as the island was where he married his late wife, he’s not budging when it comes to Margot throwing her weight around that the weekend should be dedicated to Neve and her fiancé Dixon (Jimmy Tatro), due to both of the girls having fond memories of the inn with their grandmother.
After a couple of F-bombs are thrown around for humorous measure – no one sprouts profanity like Ferrell – Jim and Margot come to a compromise, but in classic comedy fashion, we know both parties won’t stick to the plan, and soon hilarity ensues across the film’s admittedly overly long 109 minutes. Ferrell’s firing on all cylinders in a much heftier capacity than Witherspoon is, but both play off each other with enthusiasm throughout, continually lifting the material whenever it starts to feel familiar or far too outlandish; there’s a sequence involving an alligator that only works as well as it does because Ferrell is so committed to the bit.
And whilst any movie would be lucky to have Ferrell and Witherspoon at the helm, You’re Cordially Invited spoils its viewers with an expansive collection of supporting talent, who similarly hoist proceedings when called upon. Viswanathan and Hagner are surprisingly saddled with the straighter material, with both sides of their respective parties divvying up the chuckles between Jenni’s bridal collective (Keyla Monterroso Mejia is having a blast as the overprotective maid of honour) and Margot’s family (Celia Weston as her disapproving mother, Rory Scovel as her humourless brother, and, perhaps the standout, Leanne Morgan as her wildcard older sister, Gwyneth).
That being said, Ferrell, Witherspoon and Stoller are all capable of delivering better. Foul-mouthed, adult-leading comedy is in the wheelhouse for the trio, and given their filmic histories You’re Cordially Invited should be better than it is. But that’s also not to say it isn’t enjoyable on its own accord, and in a climate when streaming only movies have a certain sense of average expectation built into them – though Prime Video have proven to be more reliable than, say, Netflix when it comes to their “originals” – this is one laugher that delivers exactly what it says it’s going to on the packaging.
Predictable? Sure. And it works better as a comedic vehicle for Ferrell and Witherspoon than it does as a romance, but with healthy laughs and a sweetness that doesn’t overdose on its own saccharine energy, You’re Cordially Invited ultimately serves as a ceremony you’ll want to RSVP to.
THREE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
You’re Cordially Invited is available to stream on Prime Video from January 30th, 2025.