‘You’re Cordially Invited’ Satisfyingly Hits Familiar Rom-Com Tropes

You’ve heard of a bridezilla, but have you heard of a father of the bridezilla? You’re Cordially Invited reveals how far the father of the bride will go for the perfect wedding … or moreso just to keep his daughter close.

You’re Cordially Invited follows Jim (Will Ferrell) bouncing between doing everything he can to give his daughter Jenni (Geraldine Viswanathan) a flawless wedding to destroying everything that he disagrees with. Jenni is supposed to have her wedding on June 1st at Palmetto Island, and with the island’s size, only one wedding can be held here. This, of course, leads to a double-booked wedding with Margot’s (Reese Witherspoon) younger sister, Neve (Meredith Hagner), who’s the bride.

Jim’s antics are what make the movie shine. He doesn’t just want his daughter to have the perfect wedding, he wants control over every detail—but in a fun way. His level of sabotage is both extreme and hilarious. From actively prolonging Jenni’s wedding, trying to prevent Neve from getting married before sundown, to causing Neve’s entire wedding party to fall into the water, Jim is relentless in his pursuit of wedding dominance.

During Jim and Margot’s wedding warfare, the movie also cleverly pokes fun at generational differences. A prime example is Jenni’s wedding planner, who neglects to confirm the wedding venue just because she doesn’t do phone calls. That kind of modern-day obliviousness makes for some great comedic moments—especially when contrasted with Jim and Margot—who are so hands-on that they’re practically willing to start a war over wedding details. The film even takes a jab at how people today must document everything, as Jenni and Oliver (Stony Blyden) broadcast every moment online.

While the arcs for the married couples take some shocking turns, Jim and Margot’s enemies-to-lovers arc is extremely predictable because that’s just one of those tropes that works. Their constant bickering, sabotage, and eventual realization that they’re more alike than they thought add an enjoyable layer to the chaos. The movie isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel—it’s here to deliver laughs first, romance second.

That being said, while the film keeps throwing curveballs to keep things lively, some moments feel rushed. Take the alligator scene, for example. It’s on the movie poster, so audiences know it’s coming, but the way Jim suddenly has it in his hotel room feels random rather than a natural progression of the story. Yes, it’s part of the crazy things he’s doing, but there should’ve been more context than just to get a reaction from the audience. Imagine how much funnier it would have been if viewers actually saw him sneaking it in, struggling with it in the hallway, or somehow convincing himself that this was a good idea—especially since it leads to him cuddling it on the bed. Small tweaks like that could have elevated the comedy even further.

Overall, You’re Cordially Invited is a fun, lighthearted rom-com that leans heavily into the com. It delivers plenty of laughs, a bit of romance, and a wedding weekend so chaotic you better pray any wedding you go to or are part of won’t even be close to half this crazy.

You’re Cordially Invited is now streaming on Amazon Prime.