NEIGHBORS (B)

Bottom Line:  A testosterone, keg and cannabis-fueled battle of wits!  While the crux of this flick rests on how loud the folks next door have their music turned up, this often times hilarious bout of home life versus frat life is a well-executed one trick pony.  These riotous antics of hazing warfare contain plenty of raunch, shock and slapstick – but I’d argue that the best comedy comes from exhausted, newbie parents trying to reignite their youthful spark and a pumped-up, know-it-all, greek system brotherhood trying to leave their mark.  I’ve lived both these lives (with three boys at home I guess it still feels like living in a frat house) and, to varying degrees, they both ring fairly true here…   All members are wonderfully cast: Franco is a studious suck up, Byrne (a real goofball standout) is schemingly sassy, Efron’s a buffed up bonehead and Rogen – well, he plays himself…slovenly stressed out.  It’s a real joy to watch them all as gloriously mismatched combatants in a few rounds of one-upsmanship.  What keeps the movie from potential classic-dom, however, are a few slight inconsistencies to story – playing certain scenes for nothing more than shock value – and a few misguided attempts at taking things too serious.  Still, if you’re looking for a good laugh or two…or a dozen, you’re bound to have a blast!  Like a good movie, NEIGHBORS is there…

Starring: Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Rose Byrne and Dave Franco

Directed by: Nicholas Stoller (THE 5-YEAR ENGAGEMENT, FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL and GET HIM TO THE GREEK)

Running time: 96 minutes

Studio description: A comedy about a young couple suffering from arrested development who are forced to live next to a fraternity house after the birth of their newborn baby. (c) Universal

Official site: www.neighbors-movie.com