Movie Reviews: Neighbors (2014)

Family vs. Frat

Director: Nicholas Stoller

Writers: Andrew J. Cohen, Brendan O'Brien

Stars: Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Dave Franco, Brian Huskey, Ike Barinholtz, Carla Gallo, Christopher Mintz-Plasse

Synopsis: Though a bit mean at times, and Efron’s character is fairly unlikable for parts of the movie, the humor in Neighbors works, albeit at a juvenile level. Rogan and Efron play off each other with a lot of chemistry.

Zac Efron has two bromantic comedies out this year, Neighbors and That Awkward Moment. Of the two, Neighbors is more low-brow but perhaps has broader appeal.

Efron plays the President of a college fraternity that moves next to new parents (Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne) and then wages war on the couple after they call the police to quiet one of the fraternity’s rowdy parties.

Dave Franco (along with Christopher Mintz-Plasse, who costarred with Franco in several “Funny or Die” skits) plays another fraternity brother and gets his career’s breakout nude scene. Efron won the Cosmo two years ago for Actor’s Character You Would Most Like to be Intimate With for The Paperboy, which Franco won the year after for Now You See Me. Will they face off against each other for the award this year?

Though a bit mean at times, and Efron’s character is fairly unlikable for parts of the movie, the humor in Neighbors works, albeit at a juvenile level. Rogan and Efron play off each other with a lot of chemistry in ways that I suspect are largely improvised.

Rating: 3 stars