Neighbors (2014)
2014-05-12 02:29:32
Released May 9, 2014 / Comedy / R
Cook Time
1 hr 36 min
Ingredients
- Stars: Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Dave Franco, Carla Gallo, Ike Barinholtz
- Written by: Andrew J. Cohen, Brendan O'Brien
- Directed by: Nicholas Stoller
Instructions
- Seth Rogen (This Is the End, 50/50), Zac Efron (The Lucky One, That Awkward Moment) and Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids, Insidious series) join forces with director Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek) for Neighbors, a comedy about a young couple suffering from arrested development who are forced to live next to a fraternity house after the birth of their newborn baby.
- By all appearances, new parents Mac (Rogen) and Kelly Radner (Byrne) are living the American Dream, one complete with an adorable little girl and a beautiful new starter home in the suburbs. Still, the early-thirtysomethings want to believe that they have a modicum of coolness left within them. This next phase of life is proving to be a challenge, as the reformed (sometime?) partyers struggle with the realities of entering an inevitable new stage: unapologetic adulthood.
- When Mac and Kelly discover that their new next-door neighbors are none other than dozens of Delta Psi Beta fraternity brothers—led by charismatic president Teddy Sanders (Efron)—they try to play along and make the best of an awkward situation. But when the frat’s parties grow increasingly more epic, both sides of the property line begin to fend for their turf. As the neighbors’ relentless sabotage and one-upmanship threaten to either get the college kids kicked off the block or make the newlyweds lose what’s left of their sanity, thus begins an epic Greek war for the ages.
Notes
- This film reminded me of another film called “Neighbors.” Only that one starred John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd and had an entirely different plot. But the one thing both films have in common is that I greatly wanted to like both of them but just couldn’t. With all of the talent involved, they just were not good movies.
- I like Seth Rogen. I enjoy most of his films. I even liked “The Green Hornet.” That film took a lot more crap than it should have. But his latest film is just not good. I will admit that I did laugh at a few parts. Even in a bad movie, Rogen is going to make you laugh at some point. It’s inevitable. But while watching this film, I just couldn’t help to think that there was a much better movie in there waiting to be made. It’s as if they filmed the first draft. And you never want to film the first draft.
- The bottom line -- the script needed work, there was far too much bad improvisation, scenes dragged on for far too long, motivations were severely lacking, not enough high-jinx (strangely enough) for a film like this, and everything just seemed a little too forced. I was bored. And I shouldn’t have been. I mean how can you be bored with such a set-up (Suburban couple with new born goes to war with frat house that moves next door). This should have been a classic. But it wasn’t. I just can’t help think that they didn’t try hard enough. Laziness ensued!
- I have no idea how this film is making so much money and garnered such good reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Either we have greatly lowered are expectations of what’s considered a good comedy or today’s movie reviewers are in a sad state of affairs. I miss Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. The End!
Know It All Joe http://www.knowitalljoe.com/