Quickie Review:
Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) just had a baby girl, and are settling down in a nice, quiet neighbourhood. This all changes when a loud partying fraternity, led by Teddy (Zac Efron) moves in next door. And so a stream of funny schemes ensue as they try to make each other move out of the neighbourhood. This movie could have easily gone down the route of typical frat comedies, but surprisingly there is more heart to it than one might expect. This may not be the funniest movie ever made, but you will definitely leave the cinema with some memorable moments and an overall enjoyable time.
Full Review:
Honestly when I first saw the trailers, I had quite low expectations. I thought this might be just another frat comedy with a collection of mediocre gags. However, the main cast really did make this movie funnier than I expected it to be. By now most people are familiar with Seth Rogen. He is a one-trick pony, so don’t be surprised to see him be the same dopey man-child that he usually plays. Still, that is not a bad trick, and it ends up working very well for the comedic times. However, the real surprise performances were of Zac Efron and Rose Byrne. Efron actually brought some depth to this seemingly stereotypical frat boy. There are moments where you actually see the non-douchie side to him and sympathise with him. As for Rose Byrne, she really does take charge in this movie, and is pivotal in some of the funniest schemes they pull off. I am not a woman, but I’d assume this is the type of strong comedic actresses that women actually want to see, unlike some recent crapfest “comedy” releases, **cough** The Other Woman **cough**. Keeping up with the comedic timing of Seth Rogen is no easy achievement, but both Efron and Byrne pull it off to great effect.
Comedy is the most subjective of all genres out there. What might make me laugh may not necessarily make you laugh. This movie will not make you laugh every minute, and some jokes don’t always hit the mark as hard as the writers thought it would. However, the chemistry between the characters is great and their awkward, scheming ways is a joy to watch. There are also some moments that are so memorable, that you are bound to recall it and laugh again with your friends. Overall I had a fun time watching it, and I am sure you will not leave the cinema disappointed.
P.S. this movie possibly has the cutest baby in movie history.
The Stub Collector 