3 Thoughts on Neighbors

1. The main couple - My biggest worry about this type of movie was that they would utilize Rose Byrne as the "nagging wife" character. To my delight, such a character doesn't exist (and it's even addressed, with a hilarious jab at Kevin James movies). Instead, the "wife" character is actually seen as a "partner" (it's sad that this is not normal). Their story reminds me of the show Up All Night, because it's about a couple who are trying to cope with the fact that they are officially "adults" with responsibilities (a house and a baby).  I think it's been done many times from the male perspective; but it's always sort of assumed that women handle this change with ease and I don't think that's the case (at least from the women that I know that have gone through this - I, for one, never plan on having such responsibilities). It was so refreshing to watch a movie like this and not get frustrated at the female role. Also, Rose Byrne is absolutely perfect (more on that later).

2. It's consistent - Not only did I laugh through most of the movie, the parts that weren't funny were really interesting. All of the roles had some depth and they all stayed true to their characters, with everyone getting a sort of mini-story line. When most comedies become boring during the "non-funny" parts; this movie excelled in story telling. It's consistently entertaining from beginning to end.

3. The cast - I'm not always the biggest fan of Seth Rogen. He's funny in smaller roles, but I find him grating in leading roles. In this movie, he is clearly the lead, yet everyone around him steals the spotlight at some point. Namely, Rose Byrne. I became a huge fan of hers with the incredible series Damages, but I was super impressed with her comedic skills in Get Him to the Greek (and then she killed it in Bridesmaids - that crying scene in the car is one of the funniest scenes ever). She is so good in this movie. I want to watch all of her scenes on repeat. Also, I love Dave Franco. I don't understand why he isn't a bigger star (he's so much hotter than his brother). I was fully on board the Zac Efron hate train, but he's been good (and sometimes better than good) in every project since The High School Musical franchise. He's really funny in this movie, but he even excels in the emotional parts. All four of them together, create a perfect casting scenario.