Official Synopsis
Now that Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly Radner (Rose Byrne) have a second baby on the way, they are ready to make the final move into adulthood: the suburbs. But just as they thought they’d reclaimed the neighborhood and were safe to sell, they learn that the new occupants next door are a hard–partying, out-of-control sorority, led by Shelby (Chloe Grace Moretz). Mac and Kelly are forced to team up with their charismatic ex-neighbor and now secret weapon, Teddy (Zac Efron), since the ladies of Kappa Nu aren’t going down without a fight. It’s parenthood vs. sisterhood when the new neighbors assert their right to party just as hard as the boys.
It doesn’t happen often where I give a pass to a comedy for delivering just moments. I have been mean to a lot of comedies over the years for having shitty stories and only focusing on comedic opportunities, which are generally forced. Take Batman vs. Superman for example, kidding-kidding…calm your shit, DC fans. In all seriousness, bad comedies are built on single-serving comedic moments, where good comedies lay down a strong story foundation that gives birth to those moments. It’s a simple setup and delivery sort of deal. When it works, the comedy generally gets put into the comedy hall of fame (see Caddyshack for details).
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is a unique beast that doesn’t follow this review formula. Much like many of my readers, it doesn’t care what I say, it simply wants to entertain at any cost without rhyme or reason.
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The film’s story isn’t even remotely shy about telling you that it’s about as shallow as a kiddy pool on a hot day. It simply sets all the comedy up with through a simple premise of Mac and Kelly wanting to sell their house, and they do — pending a 30-day waiting period by the new owners, but run into an issue with new neighbors that move in. Nothing more, nothing less. The rest is basically a repeat of the first, with a sorority moving in instead of a fraternity. The twist, if you can call it that, is Teddy’s involvement to help uproot the sorority before Mac and Kelly’s house sell collapses. Oh, and is need to belong to a group, since he grew out of the the fraternity he was in.
See? A Simple premise to carry along the comedy. It’s no Vacation (the only Chevy Chase version, not the crap one), nor is it down in the depths with the Old Schools of the world. Rather, Neighbors 2 just provides itself with enough story to stay legit and afloat.
Having said that, the brilliance of Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising comes through the comedy delivery of all players involved. Seth Rogen knows comedy and how to push it, and how to withhold it depending on the scene. In all his faults, Rogen does comedy perfect. His timing is natural and it’s always when it needs to happen. For example, in the film there is a scene where Rogen’s Mac is talking to Efron’s Teddy about how they can get out of a garage that they’ve been locked into by antagonist Shelby (Chloe Grace Moretz). They end up extracting an airbag from the car in the garage and plan to launch through a vent in the ceiling, so they can make it out and stop a party from happening. Before attempting the bad idea, there is a brief interaction between Mac and Teddy, where Teddy wants to know if the relationship built between them is legit or just a single-serving deal. That conversation turns into an awkward hug with Teddy giving the huge and Mac awkwardly accepting it. Mac’s hug starts evolving into a comfortable hug and then the hugger, Teddy, who wanted the hug, becomes an uncomfortable hug-ee. It’s a simple bit of comedy that has been done before, but the small evolution of uncomfortable to comfortable to too comfortable to opposite uncomfortable is just so well done. The timing of the physical comedy, the combination of facial expression and verbal acknowledgement is just brilliantly pulled off. It’s simple, but natural. And that’s just the tip of the comedy iceberg.
There is another scene where the sorority hijacks Mac and Kelly’s phones, which sends both Mac and Kelly their separate ways looking for one another with the assumption that the other is distraught. Kelly ends up freaking out Mac’s friends at his work, while Mac ends up in Australia looking for Kelly. Outlandish? Yes. Greater than the story? Absolutely. Perfectly timed in comedic execution? Without a freaking doubt.
Anyway, the comedy drives the piece thanks to good writing and fantastic comedic delivery from all actors (I mean, ALL actors involved). This sort of comedy provides you with rhyme and reason to want to see Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising and never apologizes for the shoddy storyline built underneath it all. Why should it? The story simply doesn’t matter in context with the comedy moments. The comedy drives it all.
Overall, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is a funny ride that doesn’t ask your permission to exist. It simply knows that you will enjoy whatever adventure it decides to take you on and at the very least makes you laugh the entire way through. There are few comedies that can pull such a feat off and this sequel is surprisingly one of them. It’s not nearly a perfect or complete film, but it certainly will make you laugh from beginning to end.
On the special features side of the tracks, here’s what you’re getting with this Blu-ray release:
– Deleted Scenes
– Gag Reel
– Line-O-Rama
– Nu Neighbors
– The Prodigal Bros Return
– Girls Rule
– The Ultimate Tailgate
– Feature Commentary with Co-writer/director Nicholas Stoller and Producer James Weaver
For a film like this, these are a pretty nice and entertaining set of features. They compliment the film and extend the experience. What more do you want from features? Good stuff to add value to the Blu-ray release.
Onto the summary!
