HOLLYWOOD-Comedy is not an easy thing to do, but when you have the right actors in the right roles it proves to be magical. The raunchy comedy “Neighbors” starring Seth Rogen, Zac Efron and Rose Byrne produces more laughs than one could expect.
The film has been hotly promoted to audiences in the previous weeks leading up to its release, to put that buzz in the ear of moviegoers just in time for the weekend. The movie revolves around Mac (Rogen) and Kelly Radner (Byrne) who move into a neighborhood with their newborn child. Things seem serene and peaceful, that is until new neighbors move into the home next door.
These neighbors are members of a fraternity that consists of some raunchy characters that include Teddy (Efron), Pete (Dave Franco) and Scoonie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse). It’s a dueling rivalry of testosterone between Teddy and Mac. When Kelly and Mac decide to blow the whistle by calling the police, it leads to an all out war between the frat brothers and the married couple and their newborn. Teddy and Mac are looking to get an edge over the other and the actions that they resort to are absolute hilarity.
The impact of some of the gags is diminished thanks to the countless commercials and TV spots. When you see something over and over again, when you finally see it in the theater, the impact is not as great if it’s the first time you witness it.
Efron is perfectly cast in the role of Teddy and in my opinion is a shining star in the picture. It could be the role that takes the actor to the next level in my opinion. He has an equal counterpart in Rogen who feeds off of the energy of his co-star. I don’t think any other actors could pull off the roles portrayed by Rogen or Efron.
“Neighbors” is not a movie for the tame of heart. Its R-rating is greatly earned thanks to foul language, disgusting acts and sexual content amongst other things. This is a movie where as soon as you think things can’t get any funnier, the writers and actors are able to take things to the next level.
Think “Bridesmaids” meets “The Hangover” meets “American Pie” rolled up in one, and director Nicholas Stroller gives moviegoers a slice of the fraternity life, without having to actually attend college. Is it an accurate depiction that depends on who you ask? I’ve seen frat parties and they can get even more wicked than what “Neighbors” depicts.
It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a flick of this magnitude that delivers so many laughs that the belly aches. “Neighbors” is not just a comedy; it’s original, witty and funny as hell.