Joe and Angela's marriage is on thin ice. When they invite their enigmatic upstairs neighbors for a dinner party, the night spirals into unexpected places. Have they reignited the spark or lit the match that burns it all down?
The Garden Cinema View:
If, like us, the sight of an all celebrity cast raises an eyebrow of cinephile suspicion, think again.
Olivia Wilde amazes with her third feature, a taut, hyperintense chamber piece about sex, stale marriages, foursomes, and the quiet ways we let ourselves go. A perfect storm of happy occasions, it's built on the airtight script by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack (based on the 2020 Spanish film The People Upstairs), which is by turns hilarious, unpredictable, and emotionally raw.
This script is matched by an exceptional ensemble; their rare chemistry is galvanised by improvisation and uproarious levity (although Penelope Cruz and Seth Rogan clearly steal the show). As Yorgos Mavropsaridis (Lanthimos' permanent collaborator) edits, the mix shifts from a high-paced sitcom style in the first part to a moving finale with real pathos in the second.
A comedy thriller with a streak of Bergman at its heart, while channelling Esther Perel along the way - this is your essential warm summer night watch. Whether you bring your neighbours along is up to you.
