For many people, rom-coms are go-tos — something easy to watch and usually enjoyable, regardless of the quality. So long as there’s some chemistry, a few laugh-out-loud moments and a happy ending, it’ll do the trick. No matter how many you watch, you’re always left wanting another one — even if the majority of them are practically the same. If you’re one of those people, “You’re Cordially Invited” might just satisfy that endless itch.
Director Nicholas Stoller’s most recent film is by no means the pinnacle of cinema. Even by rom-com standards, it’s not anything revolutionary — especially considering that Stoller’s directorial debut was hit rom-com “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” But what “You’re Cordially Invited” does have is charm, enough to sustain its mildly convoluted premise and offbeat comedy.
The film stars multi-hyphenate powerhouse Reese Witherspoon as a domineering TV producer and comedy royalty Will Ferrell as an overbearing father. The movie begins with Jim (Ferrell) and Margot (Witherspoon) each separately planning a wedding for close family members. Jim seemingly books his daughter’s wedding for June 1, but the Palmetto Inn’s manager dies before confirming his reservation. Margot calls the new manager one day later to — to no one’s surprise — book her sister’s wedding for June 1 at the Palmetto Inn. After some negotiating, they decide to split the venue and hold both weddings on the same day.
Even the most casual rom-com viewer can piece together Jim and Margot’s story, but their romance is by far the least interesting part of the film. Both wedding parties are incredibly cast, with every actor bringing out the utmost humor and emotion they can given such a wild script. Jim’s side of the story — featuring daughter and bride Jenni (Geraldine Viswanathan), DJ and groom Oliver (Stony Blyden) and sorority event planner Heather (Keyla Monterroso Mejia) — is just “Gen Z” enough to be funny rather than irritating. Some of these moments, like a drawn-out explanation of the word “gaslight” and annoyance at indulgent drinking, play better to an older audience, but it’s hard not to laugh at the actors’ deliveries of these lines. None of them have the credits to match up to Ferrell’s on paper, but it’s their performances, not his, that make this story endearing and entertaining.
Margot’s side of the family brings the majority of the film’s tension. While the script feels a bit biased towards the codependent father-daughter dynamic between Jim and Jenni, Margot’s pregnant sister Neve (Meredith Hagner) and her fiancé, exotic dancer Dixon (Jimmy Tatro), make the most of their screen time. Alongside Witherspoon, Hagner and Tatro are arguably the most balanced actors in the film, skillfully playing comedy and drama to the same believable level. With more mature lines and deeper family dynamics, the trio brings a much-needed respite to the over-the-top events of the film.
Plotwise, “You’re Cordially Invited” might be a bit too chaotic. With two weddings, a rainstorm, an alligator attack, a cheating scandal and a pregnancy — just to name a few — no single event stands out. The “central” romance of the film between Jim and Margot, and although — briefly — cute, it feels like an afterthought. But the light-spirited, comforting feeling that arises from watching a truly funny yet predictable rom-com is almost unbeatable. And with an extremely witty cast and the right amount of drama, “You’re Cordially Invited” delivers that feeling in spades.
Gabriella is a senior from Los Angeles, concentrating in English, Modern Culture and Media, and Literary Arts. If she’s not at the movies, you can find her coaching the Dodgers from her dorm, plotting her future Big Brother win or perfecting her chocolate chip cookie recipe.
