For all their beer-soaked, neon-splattered glory, college movies are rarely told from the point of view of a traditional frat house. When “classic college films” come to mind, they summon images of dorky social climbers, a la “Revenge of the Nerds,” or outcasts and riffraff, a la “Animal House.”
“Neighbors,” directed by Nicholas Stoller, the man behind “Get Him to the Greek” and “The Five-Year Engagement,” presents a glimpse into the oft-unseen world of social frat houses. Yet it seems like a very inexperienced story, one that relies more on the mythical nature of frat life than a true representation.
Mac Radner (Seth Rogen) and Kelly Radner (Rose Byrne) move into a new house to begin their life as parents. However, their bliss is short-lived – much to their dismay, a fraternity moves in next door, led by best friends Teddy (Zac Efron) and Pete (Dave Franco).
Approaching middle age yet reluctant to accept that they are no longer cool, Mac and Kelly form an amicable treaty with Teddy, agreeing to call him before contacting the police should the brouhaha of his frat’s partying keep them awake. However, Mac and Kelly are quick to violate this pact, resulting in an escalating war of mean-spirited and often violent pranks.
The hedonistic parties of Teddy and his crew are grossly exaggerated, presenting a biting commentary on the excesses of frat life. Showing everything from Robert De Niro-themed parties to a hefty stock of fireworks, “Neighbors” plays into the fantasy many people hold about frats being houses of lawless “ragers.” Teddy embodies the stereotype of a testosterone-overloaded frat boy, seen more often with his chiseled body exposed than in class.
The film’s writing sometimes betrays an ignorance of frat life, falling victim to its own exaggerations. This can be seen during a rite of initiation, where a recent batch of pledges must perform the notorious “elephant walk.” When “Neighbors” ventures into scenes like this, it makes the film seem as though it were written by people who have only heard rumors about frat life, and had to make do with observing the culture from afar.
On the other side of the fence, Rogen and Byrne put on stellar performances as people unwilling to accept the monotony of domestic life and desperate to cling to their youthful image. It is easy to imagine Mac and Kelly living a past life of weekend clubbing and day drinking, which makes their conflict with the frat even more poignant. They are conflicted with appeasing their past selves’ sense of cool while still maintaining their responsibilities.
Kelly is unlike many other movie comedy wives in that she is fully immersed in the action, taking the reins in much of the couple’s revenge. Instead of following her husband and acting as his feminine conscience, she is a force to be reckoned with and masterminds their most dastardly schemes.
Immature jokes are aplenty, and the writers are not afraid to layer “Neighbors” with physical humor and numerous phallic references. In stark contrast to these jokes, the film also delves into less facetious issues such as growing up and putting aside irresponsible behavior.
After seeing Pete go to an internship fair, Teddy faces the depressing realization that his lack of hard studying and his preoccupation with partying have doomed him to mediocrity. The film only deals with these issues, however, on a very superficial level, leaving much to be desired in terms of profundity.
“Neighbors” chronicles the experiences of two groups of people at different points in their lives, both dealing with the same problem of coming to terms with the future. Sadly, in the end, the film’s themes are less defined than Efron’s abs.
– Asher Landau