Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is, surprise, about as good a comedy sequel as the original Neighbors (which was a good, but not great flick). In this film, the married couple played by Seth Rogan and Rose Byrne are selling their house (which is in this confusing thing called “escrow”) when a sorority (last time, a frat) moves in next door. It seems sororities, in the US Greek System, aren’t allowed to throw parties so they say, “screw that sexism” and start their own. Which means lots of parties. And a risk to the escrow (whatever that is).
I laughed a fair amount at this film. It was genuinely pretty funny which is a bit of a surprise since comedy sequels work less often than they succeed. But as a dumb raunchy comedy, there’s a lot to like in this movie.
And, yes, there’s something new to it as well. Where the first flick was about a generic frat with generic frat dudes, this movie wants to say something about sexism and rapey frat parties. Sure, the girls aren’t the brightest bulbs in the room but that doesn’t mean they are wrong (even if, yeah, maybe it’d have been nice if they chilled on the parties for all of 30 days so the neighbors can make it through this escrow thing). None of this is played as preachy and there’s humor at the expense of the girls to assure us the movie is willing to laugh on multiple levels.
Chloe Grace Moretz plays the main sorority sister and Zac Ephrom and his abs are back. Ephron is pretty good at playing a dim-witted dummie who is leaning (slowly) but is also playing a kind of free-agent of chaos between the two houses. He’s pretty good. Moretz is as well, kind of playing almost as dumb but more progressive version of Ephrom.
So, yeah, this is a raunchy, kind of dumb, but ultimately really fun and funny flick. I guess if the first one didn’t do it for ya, there’s nothing here that will appeal (unless you like the equality thing where girls should be just as equal to guys when it comes smokin’ dope, throwing ragers, etc.). Good flick.
Score: 83