Will Ferrell is an actor I enjoy in any project, no matter how good or bad it ends up. Whether it’s iconic comedies like Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy or critically panned films like Get Hard, Ferrell brings an energy that elevates even the worst dialogue. With the pairing of Reese Witherspoon and writer-director Nicholas Stoller, I had high expectations that You’re Cordially Invited could be another Will Ferrell staple. Sadly, the film falls victim to most recent direct-to-streaming comedies; an unimaginative screenplay and a misunderstanding of Gen-Z culture. 

You’re Cordially Invited follows Jim (Ferrell), a father of a bride, and Margot (Witherspoon), a sister of another bride, whose weddings get double booked at the same venue. Attempting to split the space, Witherspoon and Ferrell go head-to-head as they try to preserve their weddings at the other’s expense. Although there are some fun gags here and there, the film is ultimately unable to overcome its weak script to become something worthwhile. 

Ferrell is easily one of the bright spots of the film. His comedic timing and improv made for many of the film’s most hilarious moments, in particular when he’s pitted against Reese Witherspoon. A moment involving insults in a hotel lobby had me rolling with laughter, with Witherspoon and Ferrell’s banter having a profound impact on me. Unfortunately, the film does not have enough of these moments to justify its runtime. Most of the film is filled with uninspired sketches and predictable structures.

There have been many comedies about two diametrically opposed characters butting heads in order to succeed, and You’re Cordially Invited is yet another film in that sub-genre. While I don’t have an issue with a film having a familiar premise, I do take issue with a redundant narrative. After the opening 20 minutes, it is incredibly easy to figure out where Stoller’s film is going. Although there are a few aspects of the themes that go to new territory, it is mostly a run-of-the-mill comedy with nothing new to say.

One aspect of recent movies that has bothered me to an aggravating degree is the depiction of Gen Z adults. Most films, especially comedies, depict Gen Z adults as obnoxious, phone-obsessed adolescents with incomprehensible lingo. As a part of Gen Z myself, I can say that some of these stereotypes are true amongst my generation, but movies like You’re Cordially Invited feel ill-intended with its depiction, feeling more like the filmmakers are unwilling to view Gen Z as anything other than satire. Including elements such as a misunderstanding of the term “gaslighting” and an overabundance of hip-hop/pop music, this film is yet another irritating example of Gen Z misrepresented in film.

It feels strange to judge a comedy based on its technical elements such as sound and cinematography, but You’re Cordially Invited has many unforgiving aspects on these fronts. I found there to be many instances of ADR issues, with numerous moments where the dialogue heard on screen doesn’t match what the characters are saying. There were also moments where specific lines of dialogue are louder than others, making for a strange audible experience. While I don’t normally seek technical brilliance in comedies, there were many moments where these issues took me out of the movie entirely. 

I found this to be Nicholas Stoller’s weakest effort as a director. In his prior films such as Neighbors and Bros, he used editing as a means to deliver comedic moments. With You’re Cordially Invited, it feels like Stoller is on auto-pilot. There were rarely any moments in the filmmaking that added or even emphasized the comedic tone. The operatic score from Michael Andrews gives a unique interpretation of specific sequences, but there were very few moments besides this which stood out to me.

While I predict that You’re Cordially Invited will be a big hit for Prime Video once it releases on streaming, I can’t see the average viewer remembering much after the film ends. While the cast brings some entertaining moments, the derivative story and underwhelming filmmaking makes this a hard movie to recommend. There aren’t many times where the film is offensively bad, but I’d be surprised if it makes an impact outside of its likely many minutes watched.

You’re Cordially Invited will be available to stream on Prime Video on January 30.

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