Though her most well-known film is the cult-classic “Jennifer’s Body,” Karyn Kusama’s follow-up, “The Invitation,” is also worth your time. Like “Old,” “The Invitation” follows a group of people who wind up in a situation that is much more sinister than it initially appears. The film centers on a man named Will (Logan Marshall-Green), who brings his girlfriend, Kira (Emayatzy Corinealdi), to a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife, Eden (Tammy Blanchard), and her husband, David (Michiel Huisman).
Will immediately senses something strange about the gathering, and it turns out he is right to be worried. Eden and David announce that while they were traveling in Mexico, they joined a cult along with fellow partygoers Pruitt (John Carroll Lynch) and Sadie (Lindsay Burdge). While the other attendees think the cult in question is harmless — just another LA eccentricity — Will becomes increasingly tense and worried about the situation that seems to be unfolding.
We won’t spoil what it is that Will has to be worried about, but we will promise you that it’s worth the wait. The film is most certainly a slow burn, but to Kusama’s credit, the energy remains taut and unnerving throughout. If “Old” was a little too obvious for you, try “The Invitation” for something of the more restrained variety.