Review: The Uninvited -“snappy dialogue and a wealth of intense performances”

Even if you had no idea that The Uninvited was originally written as a play which didn’t make it to the stage courtesy of the Covid-19 pandemic, at the very least, you’d get the vibe that the film would easily lend itself to a theatre adaptation. The claustrophobic one location, the snappy dialogue and the wealth of intense performances speak for themselves. And yet, whilst I’ve often felt let down by the screen version of stage plays, first-time writer/director Nadia Conners deserves to be lauded for crafting a seamless transition between mediums, where the “stagey” aspects are incorporated organically, resulting in a film that feels extremely cinematic despite its pedigree.

Marketed as a comedy of errors, and definitely wearing some of those genre elements on its sleeve, this poignant dramedy set in a beautiful villa on the Hollywood Hills, promptly establishes that the couple at the centre of its story, Sammy and Rose, are going through a rough patch both on a personal level and as an item, and they hope that the party they’re throwing at their home will offer the opportunity for positive change. But is it going to be the kind of change they wished for, or has the universe got something different in store for them?

Sammy, played by the actor of the moment – Walton Goggins – is a Hollywood agent who immediately strikes us as being on the verge of a nervous breakdown, due to the major midlife crisis he’s experiencing along with career troubles. That’s why he was compelled to arrange this elegant soiree for his biggest client, Gerald, a megalomaniac cokehead film director embodied to obnoxious perfection by stage and screen veteran Rufus Sewell.

Sammy’s wife Rose, portrayed with pathos and grace by an incredible Elizabeth Reaser, is a former actress who had her break in a play directed by Gerald back in the day, but she was then pushed to the curb by an industry that values age and looks over talent, especially when it comes to women. Rose has become mother to a now 6-year-old boy, Wilder (Roland Rubio), retreating in the domestic life, while also entertaining a day job as a life coach, but she’s pining for an opportunity to reconnect with her artistic roots, and maybe this party could be that chance.

It’s clear from an early conversation with her husband that there’s an underlying tension between the two about the fact that Sammy has pursued his Hollywood career whilst she has made the inevitable sacrifices to allow him that move, which they are obviously working through in couples therapy. The bickering gets real when Rose tries to provoke a reaction by telling him that “she wants him to feel something” and, in narcissistic fashion,n Sammy replies that “he feels a lot of things, but she doesn’t want to hear about any of them.”

As guests begin to flock to their beautiful residence, an elderly woman named Helen, played with dry humour and emotional resonance by legendary Lois Smith, pulls up to their gate in a Prius, claiming that the garage to “her house” is not opening. Sammy reacts by seeing the unexpected visitor as an inconvenience that might jeopardise the delicate social ecosystem of the evening, whilst Rose promptly empathises with the disoriented lady and invites her inside to make sure they can get her back to her actual home safely. What follows is a whirlwind of interactions, ignited by this endearing agent of chaos, which will unravel all sorts of relationships at play amongst the hosts and their guests.

Sammy is freaking out about a big conversation he needs to have with Gerald, but he also tries his best to impress Delia (Eva De Dominici), a young up-and-coming actress the director wants to work with. In the meantime, Rose has a nerve-wracking reunion with Lucien, her charismatic former lover from her acting days, who has become a superstar. Their encounter awakens dormant romantic feelings but also provokes Rose’s jealousy about their divergent career paths and the gender-related implications of the case. Pedro Pascal plays Lucien with effortless charm, proving once again that there are no small parts, and that he can do anything. After all, there’s no doubt he is the other actor of the moment, along with Mr. Goggins.

Writer-director Nadia Conners knows a thing or two about the hardships of being a woman trying to have a career in Hollywood as a filmmaker (or any other major creative role). Despite co-directing The 11th Hour, the 2007 award-winning documentary narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, she has struggled to break into narrative features. Despite writing many plays and scripts that got very close to being made if it weren’t for financing falling through at the last minute, it took decades for this directorial debut to materialise, but it was worth the wait.

Casting real-life husband Walton Goggins was a great choice not just because of his renowned talent but especially for the meta factor which infuses the piece. Even if the characters portrayed on screen have nothing to do with them, Conners highlighted how the film’s themes were informed by married life and being a couple working in Hollywood. And although detractors may find the setting quite niche, Conners uses the material to poignantly reflect not just on marriage, motherhood and gender gaps but also on coming to terms with our limited time on Earth, how fast it goes by, especially once we reach a certain age and how to make the most of it.

Her writing is razor-sharp, she gets genuine performances out of her brilliant cast, and the film looks stylish, making the most of its one location, which becomes an extra character in the story. And of course, what I loved the most was what the filmmaker has called the “fever dream” quality of the story unleashed by the uninvited guest. Even if Helen’s eerie presence is only a catalyst for the events to unfold, there’s a slight ambiguous undercurrent that settles in once she enters the house and lingers with you all the way after the climactic epilogue. This is all a testament to Conners’ writing and directing craft, which makes me excited for whatever she does next because this film tells me she’s only getting started.

The Uninvited is in UK cinemas now. Check out the official film site for cinema listings.

The Uninvited will be available on demand from 11th June.