The Uninvited

I really enjoyed this sensitive intelligent film with its insightful script of adults trying to understand themselves and their complicated lives. Set in a beautiful Hollywood Hills home the characters are complex as they struggle with how to treat each other and their own vulnerabilities. An elderly stranger arrives whose wisdom slowly unfolds as the well acted party guests gradually reveal their truer selves. All of the actors are excellent in their roles. Walton Goggins and Pedro Pascal are interesting as their divergent characters. The setting and scenes all take place at the home and could be a superb Broadway play as well.

Beautifully written and acted. Every detail is perfect. Truly amazing performances by every actor. Lois Smith gives an Academy award worthy performance and steals the show. Walter Goggins is uncomfortable and anxious and funny and lovable all at the same time. This is one of the best performances I've seen from Pedro Pascal. I love him in everything, but this role felt so natural for him. I felt every moment of Elizabeth Reaser's pain annd moments of joy. All of the characters are complex and intriguing. The story has many surprises in what appears to be a straightforward movie about a party. I cried and laughed and wished it was longer. We are not.

In stylish but pretentiously artsy drama "The Uninvited" Hollywood agent Walton Goggins (always good) & ex-actress wife Elizabeth Reaser (outstanding) host a party for guests including actors Pedro Pascal (Reaser's first love who supposedly oozes charm - tho Pascal doesn't convey that) & Goggins' main client Rufus Sewell (with actress gf Eva Di Dominici). As domestic issues unfold (particularly between Goggins & Reaser) elderly Lois Smith pitches up with her dementia apparently convincing her she lives there. What writer / director Nadia Conners intended with it all in her second film is unclear even after the credits roll. It's quite nice to look at, but ultimately meh.

Rose" (Elizabeth Reaser) is married to talent agent "Sammy" (Walton Goggins) and they are preparing for a make-or-break party at their home one evening when the sound of a repetitious car horn sends her out to investigate. That's when she meets "Helen" (Lois Smith). She's an elderly lady convinced that she lives in their house, and when "Rose" takes her in whilst trying to summon some help her presence seems to galvanise her family and their guests into a series of revealingly uninteresting and cocaine-induced home truths that drags the whole thing into the doldrums of a melodrama populated by some seriously mediocre actors adequately reflected by the presence of Rufus Sewell! Actually, any scene stealing probably just belongs to a toilet doorknob, to Smith and to an enthusiastic effort from Roland Rubio as their son "Wilder". Otherwise it's really just a collection of who cares people that engender very little interest in their self-induced and/or self-serving problems. Stereotypes galore, sorry!

I'm conflicted about how to rate the Uninvited. The movie looks great and the central hook of the elderly, confused woman arriving just as an important party begins is compelling. I enjoyed all the actors. Being a woman in my 40s myself, I appreciate a story about juggling relationships, children, aging and career and there should be more of these movies out there. There are some funny lines and moments. But there were also some moments which just did not make sense in the world of the story, and dialogue that does not sound like words that real people would ever utter. When she was laying out the eggs - was it Easter? I might have missed it. I found the story about the fish and the star a bit labourous. And the ending - how those people reacted feels so far from anything naturalistic. I could see if it was on stage, where it could be read more as a parable, it could have been far more successful.