By: Cynthia Ayala

Set Rogen’s latest comedy, Neighbors, brings in Zac Efron and a comedic film that is sure to send viewers hunched over and crying in fits of laughter.

Directed by: Nicholas Stoller

Written by: Andrew J. Cohen & Brendan O’Brien

Starring: Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Rose Byrne, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Dave Franco, Lisa Kudrow, Ike Barinholtz & Brian Huskey

Genre: Comedy

Mac and his wife Kelly are a young couple with a newborn baby, struggling to live their old lifestyles. In their new house, the couple carry on with their lives, wishfully thinking they can do the things they used to. Then a frat house moves in next door, and what at first seems like a wish come true, parties get out of hand and it soon turns into all out war between Family and Frat.

If you go watch Neighbors, expect to be falling over laughing. This movie delivers fresh laughs as it pits a family man and his wife, former party animals, against a frat house. The concept sounds a little silly, but the development of the film and the way the characters go about sabotaging each other’s lives doesn’t just allow for humor, but it also gives some depth to the characters, putting in a realistic aspect on the effects of relationships. Relationships are torn and spread about and that allows for a realistic approach of the movie and a greater appreciation of the humor.

Zac Efron and Dave Franco make a great team as they act as brothers who are torn apart by a girl and the plotting of Seth Rogen and his onscreen wife Rose Byrne. The movie is goes into evolving these relationships to see the dynamic and strengths between the characters, as well as highlighting the very real fears that people may face when they embark on a new direction in life, like parenthood and graduating college. Taking those aspects and presenting them in a humorous way really allows for the viewer to enjoy this film and see something other than another comedy that is meant to entertain without any real substance behind it. Stepping away from that, the actors give their characters strength as they work with one another to discover what they want in life and how they seek to get it.  That gives the movie a measure of depth and allows the viewer to connect with the characters as they struggle with who they are, their relationships and the direction their lives are suddenly taking.

Neighbors is an excellent comedy that keeps the laughs coming, using it’s “R” rating to full advantage, while staying away from crutches like “toilet humor”. Expect to see this movie and get your money’s worth from it because this is laugh out loud riot of a film that will push the viewers to tears of laughter. ★★★☆