When You’re Cordially Invited was announced, rom-com adepts immediately drew comparisons between the Prime Video comedy and 2009’s Bride Wars. After all, the latter also features a double booking that puts a lifelong friendship to the test. Although the Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway-led bridal feud was met with an overwhelmingly negative reception upon release, furthering a women-hate-women narrative that felt dated, some of the film’s most bizarre scenes continue to live rent-free in my mind. From Hudson freaking out over a blue hairdo to Hathaway realizing she might be orange-skinned for her big day, it’s hard to forget how chaotic that bridezilla dispute truly was.
Although You’re Cordially Invited also features two weddings being accidentally scheduled for the same day, that is the extent of the similarity in Gary Winick’s film. The project stars Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell as two people who pick a fight over whose wedding will get dibs at a venue that is too small to accommodate more than one celebration at a time. As their characters eventually decide to share space, a rivalry ensues when their agreement isn’t followed to a tee. What starts as a promising storyline soon dwindles as tired tropes take center stage and no sparks fly between the main pair.
What Is ‘You’re Cordially Invited’ About?

You’re Cordially Invited starts off with Jim (Ferrell) patiently awaiting his daughter’s arrival from university. As a single father who has dedicated his entire existence to pampering her, he still hasn’t come to terms with her adulting and leaving home for good. When Jenny (Geraldine Viswanathan) lifts her left hand so that Jim can take a closer look at her engagement ring, the reality sinks in that his little girl isn’t that little anymore. Despite his urge to oppose her and Oliver’s (Stony Blyden) union, Jim calls Palm Meadow Island, where he and his wife exchanged vows years prior, to ensure that his daughter gets the June wedding she rightfully deserves. Yet, their booking never truly becomes official, since the venue owner drops dead minutes before writing Jim’s name down on the calendar.

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Not too long after, a reality TV producer named Margot (Witherspoon) decides to call in to make a reservation for the same weekend. She is planning the ceremony for her younger sister Neve (Meredith Hagner), who is getting married to a man their mother doesn’t approve of. Determined not to let their family (whom she barely interacts with) get in the way of Neve’s happiness, Margot takes it upon herself to order the flower arrangements, find the best decor, and place her credit card info on file to prevent any mix-ups from happening. It is only when the wedding weekend for both families finally arrives that she crosses paths with Jim and sees her worst nightmare come to fruition. Although her heart softens after hearing about Jim’s personal connection with the venue, and she agrees to divide the space, Margot soon regrets her decision when she notices that Jim is purposefully trying to sabotage her plans.
Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell’s Chemistry Falls Through in Prime Video’s Rom-Com

Image via Prime Video

Following the enemies-to-lovers framework, this rom-com written and directed by Nicholas Stoller pits Margot and Jim against each other in the hopes that their fury turns into a passionate embrace. Unfortunately, the heat never rises above room temperature. Although Witherspoon and Ferrell have both found chemistry with other scene-partners in the past, their stars do not align here. Whenever their characters’ disdain for one another begins to shift into something more, the audience isn’t easily convinced that these two individuals are meant for each other.
This is in part due to the actors’ inability to lay out the breadcrumbs for Margot and Jim’s fated love, and in part due to the screenplay’s delay in setting up their eventual romance. Given the commotion of the double-booking, Stoller spends more time focused on how Jim and Margot take turns making their relatives’ big day a fiasco than including instances where the two find common ground.
‘You’re Cordially Invited’s Supporting Characters Are Mere Caricatures

In the same way that Margot and Jim’s connection is never fully explored, their relationships with other characters also lack depth. Jim’s tight bond with his daughter is displayed through inside jokes and sing-alongs, yet it never seems like they can have a serious conversation. In fact, Jenny and her inner circle are all depicted as immature and shallow, becoming mere Gen Z caricatures. Fortunately, Margot and Neve’s sisterhood is given proper thought, but that doesn’t prevent the protagonist from having surface-level interactions with other individuals in her midst. Margot’s severed ties with her mother (Celia Weston) and other family members aren’t given proper context, aside from the fact that she often prioritizes her work life over spending quality time with her relatives.
Overall, You’re Cordially Invited is more of an R-rated comedy that will appease Ferrell’s fanbase than a traditional rom-com. Although the film does follow a popular trope, the absence of chemistry between the leads and the decision to only build up their romance near the end prevents it from resonating with audiences hoping for another wedding-themed romp they can eventually rewatch on a lazy Sunday. While the film is somewhat enjoyable and has two high-caliber names attached, it’s little more than another made-for-streaming project that will soon become forgettable as Prime Video adds more releases to its catalog. If you’re hoping for a love story that balances heart and humor, you might as well revisit classic Witherspoon films like Just Like Heaven and Sweet Home Alabama instead of joining either bridal party disputing the sunset at Palm Meadow Island’s rusty dock.
You’re Cordially Invited premieres January 30 on Prime Video.

Review

You’re Cordially Invited

Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon lead a wedding rom-com wth no spark in You’re Cordially Invited.

Release Date

January 30, 2025

Runtime

0 Minutes

Pros & Cons

Margot’s relationship with her sister translates from page to screen.
The film works well as an R-rated comedy and will likely entertain Ferrell’s fanbase.

Witherspoon and Ferrell lack chemistry and don’t build the proper momentum for their characters’ fated romance.
The script focuses more on the wedding chaos than developing Margot and Jim’s connection.
Several supporting characters are one-dimensional and are often reduced to caricatures.

Watch on Prime Video