'You're Cordially Invited' Is a Delightful Comedy I SHOULD HAVE SEEN IN A THEATER

Theatrical comedies are a dying breed, but at least we still get to see Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon doing their thing, even if it is relegated to Amazon Prime.

There might not be a worse streaming service for movies than Amazon Prime. Though none of the streamers are particularly adept at willing their movies into the zeitgeist, Prime is an egregious offender, perhaps even more so than the apathetic Apple TV+, who obviously cares so little about its film and television catalog I don’t even know if it’s worth mentioning these two in the same breath.

Prime has invaded essentially every aspect of our lives. Yet, when Amazon releases a movie on the service, it comes and goes quieter than a church fart, never to be seen or heard from ever again. For a brand as ubiquitous as Amazon, this is obscene, but it’s an inescapable symptom of the streaming environment.

You’re Cordially Invited is the latest example of this malpractice. Even as stars Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon embark on the talk-show circuit to promote the film, it remains but a blip in the vast sea of streaming slop that no movie could ever truly break free from.

Had You’re Cordially Invited been released in theaters - right around Valentine’s Day, mind you - it would have enjoyed weeks of little competition, and it would have been the only adult comedy for, what, months? The entire year at this point? Ferrell and Witherspoon have been bankable names for decades now but there’s nothing a streaming service could do to replicate that appeal; a theatrical release is an integral piece of the puzzle.

Not to mention the actual impetus of, you know, making money on this whole thing. Because Amazon has nothing but money to light on fire, it can acquire studio films and do nothing but politely remind you, “Hey, you can watch this new movie we have out. Or not - honestly we really don’t care.”

You’re Cordially Invited, directed by comedy veteran Nicholas Stoller (of Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Neighbors fame), is certainly good enough for theaters. Ferrell and Witherspoon have great chemistry, and the wave of relief seeing Ferrell operating once again in his wheelhouse was intoxicating. It’s a gift for all of us to watch him perform what is clearly becoming a dying art in the world of filmmaking.

Every February, right around Valentine’s Day, my wife and I go to our accountant and do our taxes. With the kids whisked away to their grandparents, we get the day to ourselves, which often includes seeing a movie. Had You’re Cordially Invited been released as it should have been, seeing it together would have been a no-brainer.

What are we left with this year? It’s not a totally barren landscape of good movies, but it is a barren landscape of movies that appeal to a wide audience, and that’s the problem. We might be able to agree on one of the Oscar-nominated releases, but nothing is out there that truly hits the universal sweet spot during a major date weekend, and that’s a shame.

Anyway, go get a few laughs in with You’re Cordially Invited while you scroll your phone on the couch, I guess.

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