Review of Neighbors (2014) by Spencer S — 14 Jan 2015

In light of the recently released "The Interview" and its predecessors, it's nice to see Seth Rogen be in something that he didn't also write and direct. When Rogen generally steps back from the actual creation of a film, he is able to improvise and his performances are often smoother and more genuine.

He and Rose Byrne meld well as new parents, neighbors to a newly located frat house. Though they initially try to be friends, these two neighbors soon become mortal enemies who take each other down in always violent escalations.

While a lot of the frat boy humor grows tiresome, Byrne and Rogen actually have great chemistry and their laughs come from a place of love. Even their baby is rather sweet and playful, maybe acting off the harmonious vibes of her make believe parents.

Every person in this film is well cast, and gives a genuinely great performance: Efron is affable and yet uncaring of his education, Franco is dopey yet sweet, and even Burgess, as the cop, gives a nuanced and really funny performance.

This film could have been a little more subtle when it came to its emotional climax, but the film was altogether rather funny and strange in the best of ways. The ending was anticlimactic and saw no character development throughout the entire film.

It was the only part of the film that rubbed me the wrong way.