Geekscape Movie Review: Neighbors

The new Seth Rogan film, Neighbors, delivers exactly what the trailers promise. If the multitude of previews and TV spots made you laugh, you should most definitely see this film.

In it, a married couple, played by Rogan and Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids, 28 Weeks Later), get new neighbors. The problem is, they’re a fraternity, led by Zac Efron (That Awkward Moment, Liberal Arts). Rogan and Byrne decide that they must discuss the possibility of noise and their newborn baby, head over to warn (while still seeming like the cool older couple) and end up partying with the frat.

Eventually, things go wrong and they end up in a feud with the frat house.

I have to say that I was worried this film would alienate the viewers with situations so upsetting that they couldn’t enjoy the film. Much like Identity Thief, which I couldn’t truly enjoy because of how much Jason Bateman’s life was affected, I was worried I would feel so bad for the family that I wouldn’t be able to even enjoy the film. But while writers Andrew Cohen and Brendan O’Brien did such a good job of making each character likeable in the film, they also created characters with a villainous side. Sure, they were all part of this horrible feud, but each one of them was also so human.

Zac Efron was awesome in this film. His character, while obsessed with becoming a legacy, was also so caring of his frat brothers. Yes, the trailer paints him as the villain, but there are plenty of humanizing moments for his character in the film. He also got to show his comedic side, and succeeded. And for those of you who are wondering, yes Efron takes his shirt off.

The movie also used the baby in such comedic ways that I almost want to say that she made the film. Sometimes it was just simply the look the baby gave, and other times it was more about situational humor, but overall, the crowd laughed the hardest at the scenes with the baby.

If you want to go out and get the best laughs for your bucks, Neighbors is perfect. The humor ranges from drug to physical to situational, melding together to create a truly comedic masterpiece.

Grade: 4/5

Neighbors hits theaters May 9th. Watch the trailer: