Be aware, spoilers!
Following the successful and hilarious Neighbors, the team of writers behind it prove that it is possible to create a sequel equally as great! Filled with dildo jokes, dirty dancing moves, a ton of weed and a man hug, Neighbors 2 is funny, sweet and again, a little crazy!
I went into Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising with medium expectations, I knew that it was going to be funny but I was surprised, because what happened was that I ended up liking the sequel more than the first movie. Maybe, it is because the second is fresh in my mind, or maybe it’s because the second one dealt with various social problems, and the characters felt a little more refined and complex. Plus, it was nice to see Zac Efron’s character facing problems many young people after college might be facing as well. With those aspects, Neighbors 2 feels like the grown-up sister to its predecessor, but just as energetic and fun!
Mac and Kelly Radner (Seth Rogen & Rose Byrne) are pregnant again, and with baby number two on the way, they have purchased a new house and are trying to sell their old one. But with all that realistate stuff they don’t understand, they end up owning two houses for 2 weeks and the selling of the old one faces problems when a sorority, started by Shelby (Chloe Grace Moretz), moves in next door! Because Shelby and her two sisters have been the unpopular girls for the entire high school, they decide to create a sorority that is able to throw parties without the need for women to be sexual, or in other words, without guys.
Then there is our favorite fratboy Teddy Sanders (Zac Efron), who after college has sort of lost his way. And even though he still lives and hangs out with Pete (Dave Franco) and his friends, others have moved on with their lives. And with Pete newly engaged, to a man!, Teddy has to find a new place to live and figure out his life. First of all, I found the character growth of Pete between the movies to be brilliant, and secondly, it was interesting to see Teddy with low-esteem, because in a way, it made so much sense. He was cocky and egoistic in the first movie, and he was the stereotypical fratboy, but now, after everyone else has their lives together, Teddy still has the same job and refuses to let go of his younger self.
What the movie does brilliantly, even though it’s a comedy, is showcase human friendship. We have of course Mac and Kelly, who are quintessentially married best friends, we have Shelby and her sisters, and then we have Teddy, with Pete as well as Mac. I like that despite the madness that takes place in Neighbors, the human relationships are the center and the strenght behind the characters. Sure, we have plenty of comedies with friendships as the center, but somehow Neighbors elevates it, and I love the kind of parents Mac and Kelly are, opposed to the perfection that is sometimes given for parents.
Finally, I just want to express how impressed I am with this sequel. I feel like so many sequels fail to capture the spirit of the first movie, and want to overdue it – Neighbors 2 never feels like that. It perfectly portrays the new parents, still just as open minded as in the first movie, and gives the old characters new dimensions. It embodies the spirit of the first movie, it adds the topic of feminism, it showcases a scary clown and of course, there is a half naked Zac Efron dancing.
I’ve seen a couple of good reviews for this now and it’s making me wonder if I should watch it. I did quite like the first one.
I’m actually surprised at all the positive reviews on this because I wrote it off immediately because of Chloe Grace Moretz. I’ll probably watch it on DVD now.
Well I dislike her too, but her role wasn’t that bad actually. She was annoying as usual, but that was one of her characteristics so it worked.
Great review! You saying you liked this one better than the first movie makes me want to see it more!
Oh, I hope that you agree then.. and hopefully not get your hopes too high.