3 star witty and well executed horror/comedy.
Who Invited Them is a 2022 independent horror/comedy written and directed by Duncan Birmingham who makes a very impressive directorial debut. It is a Shudder Original and will be available on the streaming service from 1st September 2022.
“Wait, that couple that looked like they were going to a sexy funeral? They’re your friends.”
Adam (Ryan Hansen – Fantasy Island, Veronica Mars) and Margo (Melissa Tang – The Kominsky Method, The Goodwin Games) have just moved into their new home with their young son Dylan (Kalo Moss). This beautiful house in the Hollywood Hills is Adam’s dream, but Margo worries that it will be considered showing off and they may be overextending themselves.
After sending Dylan to stay with Margo’s boss Teeny (Tipper Newton – Southbound, The Guestbook) and her partner Frank (Barry Rothbart – Vacation Friends), they invite their friends and work colleagues over for a house warming party (mostly so Adam can show off).
The evening is pretty awkward, they aren’t party animals and most of the guests clearly don’t want to be there and Adam and Margo are relieved to see everyone leave. 
Much to their surprise, just as they prepare to settle down for the night, a couple comes out of the bathroom. Neither of them recognize them, nor were they invited, but they introduce themselves as Tom (Timothy Granaderos – Plan B, 13 Reasons Why) and Sasha (Perry Mattfeld – Shameless, In the Dark), their super cool neighbours.
Much to Margo’s annoyance, Adam offers a drink and before you know it they’re partying again, with cocaine thrown in to the mix too. As the evening progresses, it starts to become apparent that there may be ulterior motives at play as they start to play Adam and Margo against each other.
“That’s so random. Who invited them?”
Who Invited Them is a well put together film, good fun and a welcome addition to the home invasion genre. Starring only four individuals for the majority of the film, the acting needed to be great and it doesn’t disappoint.
The characters are well written and the relationships make sense and are quite relatable, which makes a refreshing change. The story is nicely thought out, as we see a couple recognizing their past selves in others and ignoring all the red flags to try and recreate what they have lost. It also serves as a cautionary tale about investigating the history of a property before buying.
Clever, witty and enjoyable, this one is most certainly worth a watch.
“Hey, well people have to die somewhere right? Hey, I wish someone got blown away in my house. Gives this place some character.”
Who Invited Them is available to stream on Shudder from 1st September 2022.
| Director | Duncan Birmingham |
| Genre | Comedy, horror |
| Starring | Ryan Hansen, Melissa Tang, Timothy Granderos, Perry Mattfeld |