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Neighbors poster

Neighbors

year 2014decade 10sdirector Nicholas Stollergenre Comedy

97 minutes

Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Seth Rogen Mac Radner
Zac Efron Teddy Sanders
Rose Byrne Kelly Radner
Christopher Mintz-Plasse Scoonie Schofield
Dave Franco Pete Regazolli
Ike Barinholtz Jimmy Blevins
Carla Gallo Paula Faldt-Blevins
Jerrod Carmichael Garfield "Garf" Slade
Craig Roberts Gary "Assjuice"
Lisa Kudrow Dean Carol Gladstone
Hannibal Buress Officer Watkins
Halston Sage Brooke Shy
Jason Mantzoukas Dr. Theodorakis
Brian Huskey Bill Wazowkowski
Liz Cackowski Wendy the Realtor
Natasha Leggero Prostitute

Neighbors | The Rewatchables

host Bill Simmonshost Sean Fennesseyhost Chris Ryan
Explore episodeClose episode

Producer credits not yet identified.

Most Rewatchable Scene

The first frat party

In the discussion (11)
Approx. transcript time · 00:30:56Read transcript
  • The opening sex scene is a really funny and effective opening but is not put forward as the most rewatchable scene.
  • Barinholtz's introduction at the office, smoking a joint outside and talking about bringing the baby to a concert and about Grindr, is an early pick.
  • The neighbors meeting that morphs into the history of frat inventions, with uncredited Lonely Island and Workaholics cameos, is liked.
  • The keep-it-down material and the marriage make the first 25 minutes dead on; showing up for the first party and getting sucked in, with Rogen's shirt off, is called probably the favorite scene.
  • The short Robert De Niro party is loved: the Taxi Driver mohawk, Franco doing a Fockers De Niro really well, and Carmichael as Sam Jackson at a different party base.
  • Also praised: the attempt to make peace at the party while she pushes Franco toward Efron's girlfriend, the short hungover breastfeeding scene, the fake off-probation letter with the hotbox party, and the partly improvised Abercrombie & Fitch final scene.
  • Going to the first party and then getting sucked in and getting high is named right after the question.
  • The favorite part of the movie by far is the 'Who's Batman to you?' conversation, a perfect explanation of how equal and apart the two men are. — Sean Fennessey
  • It has to be the first party, starting with keep it down. — Chris Ryan
  • Running the keep-it-down line about 15 times prompts mixed feelings that improv may have hurt tightly scripted comedy like City Slickers, though Efron and Byrne can hang with the improv.
  • The others mock this nostalgia for scripted comedy and its Robert Towne references, while agreeing ad-libs that crack up the crew are why these comedies run past two hours.

What’s Aged the Best?

Rogen and Byrne's chemistry; Christopher Mintz-Plasse stunt casting; Dave Franco's intentional boners; Bonertown line; airbag gag; soundtrack; Rose Byrne's natural accent

In the discussion (14)
Approx. transcript time · 00:38:13Read transcript
  • The couple's chemistry is really good and could have gone wrong in the wrong hands; trained actors are often the best people for movies like this.
  • Bridesmaids had already shown what Rose Byrne could do, and research for that episode found people surprised she could do comedy.
  • Byrne is floated as the most versatile actor of her generation: serious dramas, superhero movies, broad comedies and TV, always good.
  • She is called underrated with the most versatility; Nicole Kidman in the Hawaii comedy seemed to be trying, while Byrne could have made only comedies.
  • The stunt casting of Mintz-Plasse works: heavier, grown out and older-looking, a deliberate break from the McLovin spell.
  • Dave Franco's intentional boners, about three in the movie, are hilarious; a son first saw the movie during the pandemic and was angry he had not been shown it sooner.
  • The opening 'taking it to Bonertown' exchange kills, and the airbag gimmick is hilarious.
  • The soundtrack is essential, as with The Hangover, and the frat-party music choices were really good.
  • The music captures the 2008-2015 pop moment of Missy Elliott, Flo Rida and Kesha that played at any gathering of more than 20 people. — Sean Fennessey
  • Craig weighs in with a Flo Rida comment, prompting a joke about whether Flo Rida beats Bob Dylan.
  • Rose Byrne's accent: let people speak in their natural accent. — Chris Ryan
  • Agreement follows: an Australian is just an Australian, and she is funnier in this movie because she did not have to worry about her accent.
  • The accent sets up jokes such as her thinking the Kudrow character is called Dean, and one reference is enough to account for it; strained American accents may inhibit improv.
  • Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne are named as the aged-best pick.

What’s Aged the Worst?

Rogen's exposed-body sex scene; Neighbors 2; the N-word in the Obama impression

In the discussion (9)
Approx. transcript time · 00:43:54Read transcript
  • In the sex scene watched through the window there is a lot of Rogen's body; the complaint is the decision, and a football jersey (a big Eagles jersey) would have helped.
  • Neighbors 2 is horrible; a son insisted on watching it and gave up after 30 minutes saying it sucks.
  • It is hard to recall a bigger one-to-two drop-off in so short a span, since bad sequels like Fletch Lives or Another 48 Hours came years later, despite the same people and Stoller and an easy sorority flip.
  • No explanation: same writers, same director, same stars, same gimmick; sometimes a second one is not needed. — Sean Fennessey
  • Run-it-back sequels of that decade rarely worked; Neighbors 2 looks like a Chloe Grace Moretz movie spliced with a Rogen-Byrne movie.
  • A forecast says the movie will be canceled over fraternity hazing or the ass juice character via a long think piece; a reply doubts it has that cultural footprint.
  • The ass juice think piece becomes a running joke assigned to a co-host.
  • Barinholtz saying the N-word during the Obama impersonation was a no-go even in 2014 and is legitimately shocking.
  • The movie gets away with a lot because it moves fast and is lean.

The Dion Waiters Award for Best Heat Check Performance

In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 00:49:13Read transcript
  • Jerrod Carmichael is ruled ineligible because he is in the movie.
  • Barinholtz's reaction to his ex-wife having been with a huge-dicked guy, and the stretched-shirt line, kill.
  • Barinholtz is also shouted out for Eastbound & Down; he should have been in What's Aged the Best.
  • Lisa Kudrow is a nominee, and Hannibal Buress as the cop is mentioned.
  • Mantzoukas is nominated by an admittedly biased participant: the 'your baby has HIV' delivery and Byrne's reaction get a laugh every time.
  • Randall Park gets love for the telecommunications-company scene.
  • Asked who wins, the picks are Mantzoukas and Lisa Kudrow, and Mantzoukas wins the day; Kudrow is praised for playing Phoebe as a dean.

Recasting Couch

Casting left intact

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 00:52:15Read transcript
  • Nothing to recast; the casting is liked, with Carla Gallo the only one on the fringe.
  • Rogen pushed for Dave Franco after he was cut from an earlier project; like The Graduate's age gap, he was only about five years younger than Rogen yet believable as a 20-year-old.

Half-Assed Internet Research

Script originally too close to Old School; Rogen's wife's suggestion; West Adams houses; original title Townies; improvised baby and ending scenes; unconfirmed Efron hand injury; Efron's 2013-14 Wikipedia history

In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 00:53:06Read transcript
  • The story was originally about Rogen's character and students in a frat, too similar to Old School, so it became him and his wife; it was Rogen's wife's suggestion.
  • The two houses are in the West Adams district of Los Angeles.
  • The film was originally called Townies.
  • In the opening sex scene the baby kept turning around to look, so they ad-libbed the whole thing.
  • The final scene was completely improvised; its location is debated between the Grove and Hollywood Boulevard.
  • Unconfirmed: Efron broke his hand in the fight scene with Franco.
  • Efron's Wikipedia page lists treatment in early 2013, sobriety since June 2013, a wired jaw in November 2013 after a fall, and a March 2014 Skid Row fight with no arrests.

Apex Mountain

Zac Efron; Abercrombie & Fitch in movies; Nicholas Stoller

In the discussion (16)
Approx. transcript time · 00:55:18Read transcript
  • Rogen: no, or maybe; Superbad and Knocked Up were bigger, though a $200 million movie off an $18 million budget and Sausage Party two years later argue maybe.
  • Pineapple Express was the height of his clout, leading to Green Hornet; the Knocked Up, Superbad, Pineapple Express run was his apex.
  • The clout from this hit was used to make The Interview.
  • The Interview is impossible to watch objectively; it has funny moments and Randall Park, but something feels off, like watching a Chadwick Boseman movie now. — Sean Fennessey
  • Apex for frat movies: Revenge of the Nerds, Old School and Animal House are the candidates, and Animal House is the winner; no PCU.
  • Efron: the case for yes, since coming out of this it felt like a lot would happen, leading to Baywatch and We Are Your Friends.
  • Efron's body: he is still doing fine; the body is a repeated talking point, like Schwarzenegger.
  • Rose Byrne is a reliable number two who makes films like Insidious better, making it a tough call.
  • No for Byrne: she is just consistent; this and Bridesmaids unlocked a decade of comedies like Spy. — Chris Ryan
  • Another vote says yes for Byrne because of Insidious and then this the next year.
  • Dave Franco: not yet; the hot take is that it's coming, citing The Rental and The Disaster Artist.
  • McLovin: no.
  • Abercrombie & Fitch in movies: yes, it has never been in a better scene.
  • The Abercrombie scene prompts greeter jokes and a joke that it was a dug-up William Goldman ending.
  • Nicholas Stoller: probably, yes; it led to a sequel.
  • A late pitch says there has never been a funnier use of airbags; Dumb and Dumber's airbag is raised as a challenge, answered that this one is funnier.

Picking Nits

Other neighbors never complain; buying next to a campus; no jail for the fireworks and grill injuries; the title

In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 01:02:09Read transcript
  • Why did none of the other neighbors complain about parties every night?
  • Buying a house on a campus means accepting this, as with the frat houses around the University of Pennsylvania campus.
  • An anecdote: never in a frat, the speaker almost bought a house near Occidental College across from a sorority and drove by on weekend nights, haunted by this movie.
  • Occidental is described as a generic-looking campus used in pop culture, including 90210, and a good school.
  • Shooting fireworks into a cop car or the grill hitting a man would be felony assault with real jail time.
  • The title is too easy; The Frat Next Door is floated, Townies is judged wrong, and Chase the Night is suggested.

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Braxton University's state; Division I status; its big sport

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:06:41Read transcript
  • Braxton University is probably in California.
  • Not a D1 school: the frat is kind of running the campus, while a D1 school revolves around football or basketball. — Chris Ryan
  • Braxton's big sport is guessed as water polo or women's volleyball.

What Piece of Memorabilia Would You Want From This Movie?

Braxton University sweatshirt; Dave Franco's Fockers outfit

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:07:11Read transcript
  • A Braxton University sweatshirt, worn if done correctly.
  • A joke claims one co-host wants one of the dildos.
  • Dave Franco's Fockers outfit.
  • Obscure De Niro characters that could have been included: Awakenings, Neil McCauley after a blanked name, and Cape Fear De Niro; blanking means doing Heat again.

Who Won the Movie?

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:08:16Read transcript
  • Rose Byrne is named, then matched twice ("That's who I have as well", "me too"); the role could have gone wrong with many actresses.
  • The winner of the pod, jokingly, is screenwriters and their art form.
Podcast choices
Speaker not identified
Rose Byrne
Speaker not identified
Rose Byrne
Speaker not identified
Rose Byrne

Producer review

Tag; his generation gets comedy from social media; Facebook pages of Hangover quotes

In the discussion (8)
Approx. transcript time · 01:08:35Read transcript
  • Craig is brought in because he always hammers the hosts for skipping comedies from the last 10 years.
  • McLovin is argued as the all-time Joey Pants; the counter is that Joey Pants is that guy in many movies while McLovin is only in about three, plus Promising Young Woman.
  • Tag is offered as a decent recent comedy; Renner broke both arms making it and his arms were green-screened.
  • A borrowed point: the funniest movie of the second half of the 2010s is The Wolf of Wall Street.
  • Blockers' failure is blamed for studios not attempting this style again; it was the right idea, executed terribly.
  • The hosts urge Craig's generation to get off TikTok and write comedies.
  • At 26, his generation gets comedy more from social media; Superbad, Pineapple Express, 21 Jump Street and The Hangover were the biggest, with huge Facebook pages of Hangover quotes.
  • This Is the End marked the end of comedy in a good way, with Neighbors less big among the speaker's generation.

More from the conversation

A Ringer network plug and a trailer-style cold open with Neighbors clips precede the introduction.
Approx. transcript time · 00:01:36Read transcript
Neighbors is pitched as the last funny studio comedy, closing a 2010-2014 run (Hot Tub Time Machine, Bridesmaids, Hall Pass, Project X, 21 Jump Street, Ted, This Is the End, The Heat, The Other Woman) before sequels and misses; Neighbors 2 is called horrendous.
Approx. transcript time · 00:02:18Read transcript
A cancel-culture explanation is mocked, and everyone turns out to love Game Night.
Approx. transcript time · 00:03:16Read transcript
Neighbors marks the end of the Apatow moment as its men grew up; comedies turned franchise-like, and superhero movies such as Deadpool became comedies.
Approx. transcript time · 00:04:08Read transcript
Comedy never kept a theatrical place the way horror did; people watch TV comedy instead, as with What We Do in the Shadows.
Approx. transcript time · 00:05:11Read transcript
The R-rated comedy arc is compared to action movies running from First Blood to about Face Off before dying out.
Approx. transcript time · 00:05:52Read transcript
The 2004-2014 R-rated boom faded amid more sensitivity and declining theatergoing, though Good Boys was a hit.
Approx. transcript time · 00:06:42Read transcript
Later successes were quirkier (Lady Bird, Booksmart, Game Night, Girls Trip); comedy is treated as a stepping stone; Long Shot fell flat.
Approx. transcript time · 00:08:00Read transcript
Rogen's 2005-2014 run is listed; The Interview is blamed for his pivot toward producing, including The Boys, and smaller streaming films like American Pickle.
Approx. transcript time · 00:10:25Read transcript
Rogen lacks an indelible character like Venkman or Fletch; he is placed a level below, with Ben Stiller, and Funny People is named the speaker's favorite Rogen performance.
Approx. transcript time · 00:12:33Read transcript
Neighbors is lean, two converging plots at about an hour 38, with an unassailable first 25 minutes.
Approx. transcript time · 00:15:06Read transcript
A Rogen interview distinguishes plot (the frat war) from story (when will these people grow up), which he does well.
Approx. transcript time · 00:16:49Read transcript
The film subtly mocks frats while staying sympathetic, and is perfectly cast, from Byrne and Rogen to the four frat leads including Mintz-Plasse, Carmichael and Franco.
Approx. transcript time · 00:18:09Read transcript
This is the best Efron; he could have been a 21st-century Tom Cruise, but Baywatch did not capitalize.
Approx. transcript time · 00:20:19Read transcript
A co-host who likes Efron wonders whether career success looks different for his generation: travel and survival shows, YouTube work; Channing Tatum has similarly vanished.
Approx. transcript time · 00:21:45Read transcript
Cruise built a career mixing great directors and paydays; Wahlberg is proposed as Efron's model, and Efron should do a prestige series.
Approx. transcript time · 00:22:50Read transcript
That Awkward Moment should have been good; Efron was good as Ted Bundy.
Approx. transcript time · 00:25:19Read transcript
Wahlberg is funny because he is never in on the joke, while Efron seems too in on it; Cruise shows no self-awareness.
Approx. transcript time · 00:26:24Read transcript
High School Musical showed Efron and Vanessa Hudgens were talented; his fame was the last pre-social-media blowup; his Netflix travel show is discussed.
Approx. transcript time · 00:27:32Read transcript
Nicholas Stoller directed; written by Andrew Cohen and Brendan O'Brien; $18 million budget, $270.5 million gross, $49 million opening; Rogen and Efron took pay cuts; it was once mistaken for a remake of the Belushi-Aykroyd movie.
Approx. transcript time · 00:29:22Read transcript
21 Bridges is loved by two participants; Taylor Kitsch and Sienna Miller accents are joked about.
Approx. transcript time · 00:57:03Read transcript
An Insidious Rewatchables episode is mentioned as scheduled for March 22nd next month.
Approx. transcript time · 00:59:49Read transcript
Frat experience: no frats at one participant's college, friends at Colgate loved theirs, and parties were plentiful anyway.
Approx. transcript time · 01:05:40Read transcript
Future comedy picks come up: Superbad, Pineapple Express, 21 Jump Street, Bringing Up Baby, City Slickers 2 and Tropic Thunder.
Approx. transcript time · 01:13:28Read transcript
Closing plugs for The Big Picture and The Watch, a joke Assjuice podcast, and a note that The Doors, 30 years old next week, is coming.
Approx. transcript time · 01:14:01Read transcript