Getting old is easy, but growing up is not.
That is the theme of Nicholas Stoller’s comedy Neighbors, the story of an all-out prank war between a new father in his early thirties and the president of the fraternity next-door.
Mac Radner (Seth Rogen) and his wife Kelly (Rose Byrne) move into a new house with their newborn baby. The trouble is that the frat brothers of Delta Psi Beta also moved in just next door. What first starts as a “bro” friendship soon turns into a rivalry as Radner breaks his promise to fraternity president Teddy Sanders (Zac Efron) to never call the police. Then all hell breaks loose.
Rogen is his usual hilarious self, poking fun at his own physical appearance as his character tries to become a cool again in a frank reminder of how lame we become once we have kids. Surprisingly, Efron’s presence was more than just an attempt to draw teenage girls, as he and Rogen played perfectly off each other. Their chemistry was evident in an early scene where they argued about who was the real Batman, Michael Keaton or Christian Bale, in another parallel between the generations.
Living up to his reputation as one of the funniest actors in the industry, Rogen carries the movie, especially through his interaction with the other characters. A good portion of the movie is improv and he makes the entire cast better with his improv prowess. This was especially the case during his interactions with Efron, who seemed authentic in his role as a frat-bro, a more raunchy character type he was not previously known for. Rogen also works well with the lone female lead, Byrne, as they seem to be the perfect partners in crime.
Frat vice president, Pete (Dave Franco) , highlights the absurdity of Efron’s character, especially when he breaks the news to Sanders that Delta Psi Beta didn’t actually invent beer pong.
The humor is relatable for all demographics as well. Teenagers can enjoy the over-the-top vulgarity and frat humor, adults can enjoy the throwbacks like a “Robert De Niro Party” thrown by the frat, and everyone can enjoy the heavy use of puns. These elements combine well to make one of the funniest movies to come out in years.
What separates Neighbors from other frat comedies is the character development. Radner has to learn to accept settling down, while Sanders has to learn that there is life after college. In one scene at a job fair, he doesn’t know what AT&T is and the recruiter calls him too dumb to hire, yet eventually he gets a job and attends night classes.
Cameos by SNL’s Andy Samberg and the cast of the television show Workaholics add further to the laughs.
In a way, this attempt to be our generation’s Animal House adds a new twist to the legacy of a coming-of-age frat story. With the protagonist being an outsider who just wants the frat to “keep it down,” we can truly see the absurdity of college life.
