The Invitation, ...Don't Accept It!

We've all been to them. Those awkward dinner parties.  You arrive and immediately see your ex-spouse, your ex-girl/boyfriend, the priest you confessed to when you were a teen, your mom, and your 3rd grade teacher.  Something inside you does not allow you to leave.  Don't feel so bad....it could always be worse.  Hence, 2015's "The Invitation." Throw in a mysterious cult, a dead child, and....well, let me stop before mentioning some spoilers.

Bill (Logan Marshall-Green) and the sultry Eden (Tammy Blanchard) divorced after the tragic death of their young son. Neither coped well and Eden married Dave (Michael Huisman), a hunk from her grief class.  Eden and Dave plan a dinner party and invite some old friends, including Bill and his new gal, Kira (Emayatzy Corinealdi).  Okay....stupid on Bill's part for accepting...but here we go. As the party begins it is obvious that Eden and David are weird.  They have just returned from some type of encounter session in Mexico.  These two talk lots about letting go of grief and negativity and being content.  They even give their guests an AMWAY type presentation on their group, which creeps everyone out. Time to leave, one would figure...but no!

Uh oh....Bill is suspicious.  In his paranoid and depressed state, he notices stuff others do not.  He used to live in the house with Eden and sees that bars have been placed on all the windows and Dave has locked everyone in. Kira and the other guests believe he is delusional, and there are indications that he is.  Even the crazy can be right, however.  When Bill discovers some more videos of a cult leader kept on Dave's laptop, he decides to act.  He better act fast as it appears that Eden and Dave have a game plan which will be enacted soon.  Oh yes, in addition to the old friends, our weird couple has also invited a couple of friends from their "group," the totally insane Sadie (Lindsay Burdge) and the homicidal Pruitt (John Carroll Lynch of "The Walking Dead").

However slow this film seems at the beginning, worry not...carnage and gore will arrive.  What do Eden and David have planned for their guests?  Even if Bill is correct, is he capable of preventing it, or getting the other guests to realize the peril?   Every guest is a hunk or a babe and they all are in mortal danger. Unless they believe a crazy guy, they may not survive.  Available on Netflix, enjoy "The Invitation," directed beautifully by Karyn Kusama.