• Sat. Feb 22nd, 2025 9:01:42 PM

You’re Cordially Invited… But Should You Attend?

ByTaylor T Carlson

Jan 30, 2025

YOU’RE CORDIALLY INVITED is directed by Nicholas Stoller. The film stars Will Ferrell, Reese Witherspoon, Geraldine Viswanathan, Meredith Hagner, and Jimmy Tatro.


Two couples have booked weddings in a beautiful island location that holds sentimental value for them. Unfortunately, due to a mix-up, the two couples are booked for the same wedding day! The two parties reluctantly decide to share the facilities for the weekend. Will the weddings and the festivities work out, or will the parties end up waging war with one another over sharing the space for their special days?


Comedy films are one of the many certainties in the world; it seems like a new one comes out nearly every week. YOU’RE CORDIALLY INVITED combines the talents of Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon (who are both also credited as producers), as well as some entertaining younger actors as well. The movie is being released on Amazon Prime rather than in theaters. How does this effort, the latest from director/writer Nicholas Stoller, measure up?


Put simply, YOU’RE CORDIALLY INVITED certainly has its moments. Its stars can be quite funny at times, and the basic premises of the film are quite relatable; it’s likely we’ve all had to share a space with another group at some point in time we didn’t necessary want to, or had to deal with wedding drama. The movie delivers in the laughs department, but a few days after having seen it, I can’t say that it’s left a lasting impression either. If nothing else, it’s a decent one-time watch.


The two leads, Ferrell and Witherspoon, portray family members of people getting married, trying to arrange the festivities and ultimately end up having to share the same space. These two are the best part of the movie, from their inevitable clashes to the moments they realize they might have more in common than they think. Their characterizations aren’t the deepest or most original thing, but I won’t deny they did get a few laughs out of me. Ferrell’s character walks the tightrope between “funny” and “creepy” at times; many exclamations characters make about him and his actions are perhaps a little too relatable to the audience.


The movie’s not bad from a production standpoint either, filmed in a beautiful island resort of sorts. I’m not sure what the budget of YOU’RE CORDIALLY INVITED was, but I’m pleased to say it never feels like it was made “on the cheap” as many direct-to-streaming productions often do.


The problem with the film is that, while certainly not a bad movie, it’s not a particularly memorable one. A few days after having watched the movie, do I remember much about it? Sadly, the answer is no, outside of the basic premise and a few of the gags. At times, it feels more like a collection of sketches slapped together than a coherent film, which is truly sad given the quality of the personnel involved. At 109 minutes (about 10 minutes longer than any comedy should be), the movie feels like it’s dragging at times. An overstuffed cast of characters and plot elements doesn’t help either.


Do you have an Amazon Prime subscription? Give this one a watch. You’ll get a few laughs and have a nice diversion from your life for a while. It’s not a great film, and I’m not sure I’ll ever watch it again, but there are worse things on there you could be watching for 109 minutes. Moderately recommended to fans of R-rated comedy.

By Taylor T Carlson

Taylor T Carlson Assistant Editor/Senior Staff Writer Taylor T. Carlson was born August 17, 1984, and has called the Vegas Valley home his entire life. A die-hard fan of classic rock and metal music, Taylor has been writing album and concert reviews since he was 16 years old, and continues to do so, having done well over 1,000 reviews. He is also a fan of video gaming and cinema, and has reviewed a number of games and films as well, old and new alike. His thorough and honest (some would say brutally honest) reviewing style has won him the respect of hundreds of music fans and musicians alike, both local and abroad, and the ire of just as many others. Despite being one of the youngest attendees at classic hard rock/metal shows around Vegas, he is also one of the most knowledgeable, having gained the unofficial nickname of “The Eddie Trunk of Las Vegas.” In addition to reviews, Taylor has written and self-published three books on classic hard rock bands, and is a regular participant in rock and roll trivia contests. Taylor also holds a masters degree in special education from the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), and has appeared on the hit History Channel television series Pawn Stars. His dream is to be able to one day make a living from writing music books and reviews.

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