MOVIE OF THE WEEK #2 (5/20/16): NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING
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| "OK, we'll just blend in ... We'll act like we're making an American Pie sequel and no one will suspect a thing!" Paula )Carla Gallo), her husband Jimmy (Ike Barinholtz), Teddy (Zac Efron), Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) prepare to – You know what? We'll let you find out on your own! – in a scene from NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING. Credit: Chuck Zlotnick. © 2016 Universal Studios. All rights reserved. |
KEY CAST MEMBERS: Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Ike Barinoltz, Dave Franco, Kiersey Clemons, Beanie Feldstein, Jerrod Carmichael, Elise Fargas, Zoey Fargas, Carla Gallo, Abbi Jacobson, Sam Richardson and Awkafina (yes, Awkafina)
WRITER(S): Andrew Jay Cohen, Brendan O’Brien, Nicholas Stoller, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
DIRECTOR(S): Nicholas Stoller
THE STORY AS BEST WE KNOW IT: An unlikely sequel to a moderately successful film, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising once again stars Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne as Mac and Kelly Radner. Having rid themselves of the former fraternity next door, Mac and Kelly are enjoying life with their young, growing daughter Stella (played by twins Elise and Zoey Fargas) while expecting a second bundle of joy in the coming weeks. And life for the Radners is good.
Meanwhile, across town, Shelby (Chloë Grace Moritz), Nora (Beanie Feldstein) and Beth (Kiersey Clemons) are entering their respective freshmen years of college and are quickly getting burned out on the brotastic fraternity parties. And then after discovering that sororities aren’t allowed to host their own parties, our female trio comes up with their own plan: Start their own off-campus sorority where they can do whatever they like however they like – and guess what old house is available and ready for someone to rent it?
Of course, this wouldn’t be a problem for Mac and Kelly since they’ve sold their house and plan to move into a new one far away from a college … If they understood what “escrow” is and how it works. For the Radners have to wait 30 days for their prospective buyers to make any inspection they want, during which time they can also drop by. Any. Time. They. Want. And once the Radners try to get Shelby and her friends to calm down, as they say, “It’s on.”
But who could be the X-Factor in determining who will get the best of this battle? Enter Teddy (Zac Efron), Mac’s and Kelly’s old nemesis – and Shelby and company’s potential new best friend …
WHO WILL LIKE THIS MOVIE THE MOST? People who enjoyed the first Neighbors film; people who enjoying seeing Zac Efron shirtless – a lot; those who enjoy watching adults behaving badly; Ike Barinholtz fans; those who enjoy a not-so-subtle examination of gender in society
WHO WILL HATE THIS MOVIE THE MOST? People who didn’t enjoy the first Neighbors film; those who find the film’s exploration of gender issues soaked in traditional potty-mouth and bad behavior humor; those who like their comedies to not be zany; anyone afraid of clowns
SO IS IT GOOD, GREAT, JUST ALL RIGHT OR DOWNRIGHT AWFUL? As a film per se, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is a short-but-silly excursion into adults and teenagers behaving like little children with absolutely zero socially redeeming qualities. As a film that simply tries to make you laugh by putting its characters into ludicrous situations where they can take even more ludicrous actions that always end with someone getting the short end of the stick, it accomplishes its goal enough to make you feel ok about giving in to something so well, dumb.
Sorority Rising does feature a decent amount of funny scenes. Rogen and Byrne have their chemistry down pat as a maligned husband and wife pair willing to do whatever it takes to save their home ... While sneaking in a not-so-subtle-yet-comedic-enough examination of anti-female language and societal norms. If you think the film is about anything other than over-the-top jokes that would make your grandma blush ... Unless she's a potty-mouth, weed-smoking grandma. All bets are off in that case.
Anyway, any attempt at a deep, thorough examination of Sorority Rising will be much deeper than the film itself. This is a sophomoric yet enjoyable comedy that focuses on drugs, sex, bad behavior and general ridiculousness that if you enjoy that sort of thing, you'll be just fine with. It's not on a comedic level of say, the first Hangover movie ... But it's definitely better than Hangover 2 or Hangover 3. Given director Nicholas Stoller's comedy pedigree (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek), one could rightfully expect a little better constructed comedy, but Sorority Rising isn't about a deep story as much as it is slapstick.
If nothing else, it'll make you glad none of these people live next to you but are close enough to give you a few yuckity yucks for your bucks.
Anyway, any attempt at a deep, thorough examination of Sorority Rising will be much deeper than the film itself. This is a sophomoric yet enjoyable comedy that focuses on drugs, sex, bad behavior and general ridiculousness that if you enjoy that sort of thing, you'll be just fine with. It's not on a comedic level of say, the first Hangover movie ... But it's definitely better than Hangover 2 or Hangover 3. Given director Nicholas Stoller's comedy pedigree (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek), one could rightfully expect a little better constructed comedy, but Sorority Rising isn't about a deep story as much as it is slapstick.
If nothing else, it'll make you glad none of these people live next to you but are close enough to give you a few yuckity yucks for your bucks.
RATING OUT OF FOUR BUCKETS OF POPCORN:
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