YOU’RE CORDIALLY INVITED – Review

Now that we’re shaking off the ice and snow (at least for a few days), is it too early to think about weddings, or even movie weddings? Sure, they’re always a ripe setting for romance and drama, though for the last couple of decades, it’s proven to be a perfect backdrop for comedy, from the FATHER OF THE BRIDE reboots to BRIDE WARS, the BEST MAN series, and, of course, BRIDESMAIDS. which often concern the ceremony itself and the long “prep”. Well, for this new flick we get two wedding parties, but the big focus isn’t on the couple, but rather on two relatives of the brides. And it’s the first pairing of two movie comedy vets. It’s a rare mix of a “rom-com” icon and a fellow from the slapstick “fratboy” genre. Hmmm, it seemed to work when Adam Sandler teamed with Drew Barrymore and Jennifer Aniston for several movies. Now audiences can find out if this duo generates some sparks and laughs as their fans get word that YOU’RE CORDIALLY INVITED.

We first meet the male half of this new comic “power couple” as Jim (Will Ferrell) prepares his cozy cottage for a visit from his only child, his adored (now graduated from college) daughter Jenni (Geraldine Viswanathan). He has taken pride in his role of “girl dad” since the passing of his wife several years ago (even baking a welcome cake and cookies). His “snuggle-bug” finally arrives, though she’s brought along her old pal Oliver (Stony Blyden). But that’s not the biggest surprise: the two are engaged. Once Jim regains his senses he insists on booking the spot where he was married, a quaint little resort off the Georgia coast, Palmetto Island. The resort’s elderly matriarch takes his call and says she’ll pencil them in on the first weekend in June. And no need for a credit card number, he’s considered family. All is set, until fate steps in. Meanwhile, in LA, TV producer Margot (Reese Witherspoon) gets an unexpected visit from her much-loved “kid sister” Neve (Meredith Hanger). She then stuns Margot with her engagement news to hunky Dixson (Jimmy Tatro). Neve’s rather nervous since no one else in the family knows that Dixon’s an “exotic dancer” and that she’s already pregnant. Although Margot’s estranged from their straight=laced judgemental mother and their siblings, she’ll plan the nuptials, which will take place near the home of their much-missed Grandma, the same Palmetto Isle, in June, natch’. It turns out that a major management ‘shake-up” at the resort took place between Jim and Margot’s reservation calls. The arrival of both wedding parties to the island is just the start of the comedy chaos, which becomes more complicated when the new manager Leslie (Jack McBrayer) begrudgingly agrees to host both over that sunny weekend (though he insists that the facilities only have the space of one wedding). Ah, but what could go wrong? Well, with ‘big sis” Margot and “big daddy” Jim trying to make everything perfect, what do you think?

Oh, this unorthodox pairing works surprisingly well thanks to the welcome comedy return of Ms. Witherspoon after spending much of the last few years on some dramatic streaming shows (limited and series). She gives Margot an aggressive but still engaging “take charge” quality which explains her success with some insipid-looking reality/game shows (“Is It Dead?”). Plus she’s a passionate “mama bear’ to her “lil’ sis” despite her resentment toward their other “kin”. Witherspoon gives us access to the hurt, but driven Margot. Plus, she’s always a perfect “straight-woman” to Ferrell’s passive-aggressive, too “in touch with his feelings” Jim, tapping into the “softer”, less” in your face” roles in the DADDY’S HOME flicks and GET HARD (not to mention the hysterical Lifetime parody “A Deadly Adoption”). Ferrell also adds a funny exasperation to his delivery as his plans begin to collapse while dealing with the “generation gap’ of Jinni’s pals. But he’s also adept at physical schtick whether Jim is styling hair, crooning an inappropriate pop tune, or wrestling a gator. Their brides also give terrific comedy performances. Viswanathan literally throws herself into the role of Jinni, a nice follow-up to her work last year in the quirky DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS ( and “stealing” BLOCKERS), enduring lots of ‘bonkers brutality” (get her some “combat pay”) or just rolling her eyes at her papa. And Sanger rebounds from the dopey VACATION FRIENDS flicks, making Neve a strong comic partner to Margot, while not allowing herself to be pushed around as she valiantly tries to “hide that bump”. The film also benefits from some terrific vets of stand-up comedy, specifically Leanne Morgan as the “no filter’ sister Gwyneth and Rory Scovel as clueless bro Colton. Unfortunately the wonderful Fortune Feimster is given little to do as the resort’s “boat captain”, though McBrayer is very funny as the prim and proper Leslie as is Keyla Monterroso Mejia as Jinni “hard-partying” maid of honor.

They’re all “clicking” under the guidance of another comedy movie vet, writer/director Nicholas Stoller, bouncing back from BROS after scoring with the NEIGHBORS flicks. He keeps the film running along at a brisk pace, although it feels a bit worn by its 109-minute runtime. perhaps some of the family angst, especially with Margot’s family dynamics, could’ve been trimmed along with the operatic warbling on the soundtrack. But on the plus, Stoller squeezes in some choice satiric jabs at over-produced TV, the “artistry” of DJ-ing, and social media “buzzwords’ (nice they clear up the overuse of “gaslight”). And Stoller doesn’t allow the comic cast to go too “over the top”, though the “gator ‘razzling” (it’s on the poster) seems to be from a more cartoonish Ferrell flick form a dozen years ago. And many of the “misunderstandings’ are too “telegraphed” to have real impact, other than to generate more conflict and calamity. But the resort locale is quite lovely, adding to the baffling decision not to send this out to the multiplex (the same thing happened with several Amazon movies last year). That’s not up for debate, as the streamers hope to lure lots of new subscribers with the welcoming main title phrasing of YOU’RE CORDIALLY INVITED.

3 Out of 4

YOU’RE CORDIALLY INVITED is now streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video