Neighbors (FILM REVIEW)
Neighbors
Film Review
by Kam Williams
Couple Confronts Rowdy Frat in Raunchy Revenge Comedy
When Kelly (Rose Byrne) and Mac
Radner (Seth Rogen) decided to settle down in suburbia, they reasonably expected
to raise their newborn in a quiet community. But that dream was threatened soon
thereafter, when the local chapter of Delta Psi Beta bought the house
next-door.
As a precautionary measure, the concerned
couple introduced themselves to their new neighbors and asked for assurances that
there wouldn’t be any wild partying on the premises. Delta Psi’s President, Teddy (Zac Efron), and Vice
President, Pete (Dave Franco), did agree to keep the noise down in exchange for
a promise from the Radners not to call the police.
Nevertheless,
it’s not long before the situation spirals out of control. After all, the infamous
frat has a
well-established reputation for rowdiness, having invented the toga party back
in the Thirties and then beer pong in the Seventies.
So, today, Teddy feels pressure to
match his predecessors’ checkered past. This means he’s inclined to up the ante
in terms of outrageous antics, which can only spell trouble for Kelly and Mac
once they go back on their word about complaining to the cops, and Delta
Psi is placed on
probation by the university’s dean, Carol Gladstone (Lisa Kudrow).
At that point, all bets are off, and
the frat and the newlyweds proceed to square-off in an ever-escalating war of
attrition with more losers than winners. That is the point of departure of
Neighbors, a relentlessly-raunchy revenge comedy directed by Nicholas Stoller (Get
Him to the Greek).
Unfortunately, the sophomoric parties
prove to be more cruel than clever in their attempts to get even, and the
shocking behavior displayed onscreen is invariably more smutty than funny, as
it features plenty of prolonged frontal nudity. Plus, the picture’s only good
gag, when the office chair jettisons Mac into the ceiling, was totally spoiled by
the TV commercials.
Otherwise, the film is memorable mostly
for its homoerotic humor, as director Stoller is fond of seizing on any excuse
to lampoon gay sexuality. First, Kelly kisses a college coed she’s recruiting
as a confidante. Then, fraternity pledges are forced to parade naked in a
circle while clutching the penis of the guy in front of him.
On another occasion, a male student is
raped by a classmate seemingly in his sleep, only to later admit that he was
aware and welcomed the rude intrusion. And when Teddy and Pete fight over a
girl (Halston Sage), they settle their differences in bizarre fashion, namely,
by massaging each other’s genitals to see who climaxes first, while appropriating
the gangsta’ rap mantra, “Bros before hos!”
Throw in the gratuitous use of the “N-word”
twice, of anti-Semitism (“You Jews and your f*cking mothers!”), as well as a
profusion of misogynistic comments like referring to breasts as “udders,” and there’s
little left to recommend about this ugly descent into depravity.
Poor (0 stars)
Rated R
for crude humor, graphic sexuality, full frontal nudity, pervasive profanity,
ethnic slurs, and drug and alcohol abuse
Running time: 97 minutes
Distributor: Universal
Pictures
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