BAD NEIGHBOURS 2
US, 2016, 92 minutes, Colour.
Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne Zac Efron, Chloe Grace Moretz, Dave Franco, Ike Barinholtz.
Directed by Nicholas Stoller.
Perhaps it’s the generation gap. But, younger audiences and reviewers are able to break through the raucous crudity of Bad Neighbours and this sequel, to enjoy this somewhat satiric (we hope) look at human nature. Older audiences and reviewers seem to get stuck on the raucous crudity and, at many moments, probably wish they were somewhere else.
The main characters from the original film are back. Seth Rogan and Rose Byrne used to live in a house next door to the building which was taken over by a frat group, completely self-absorbed in their own entertainment, alcohol, drugs and sex, music, with a high, high decibel impact, regardless of concern about the effect on the neighbours’ lives (and possibilities for sleep). Zac Efron was the leader of the pack but got something of a comeuppance at the end – this time he ends up with a vocation to be a wedding planner for gay marriages.
It is now a couple of years later. Rose is pregnant, she and Seth have put a deposit on a house, bigger and better, some distance away and are in process of selling the old house to an eager couple. They have neglected to understand escrow (which many of the audience will have neglected also). But it means that their house is open to scrutiny for another month, in case anything should happen.
Of course it does. And, the screenplay giving equal time to the group who moves in next door with all the attendant drugs, alcohol, sex, music, a sorority because sororities are not allowed to have parties on campus. Needless to say, the girls move in and get advice, naturally enough, from Zac Efron. Rose and Seth go through all the traumas they experienced before until… Zac is offended by the girls and changes sides. Conflict is on.
The potential buyers call by, Seth and his brother put on a show that there is a Jewish household next door, but it the covefr-up is sabotaged and the couple are desperate.
There is a solution for the girls – but Seth and Rose moved to their new house so screenwriters will have to be inventive as to how to provide them with Bad Bad Neighbours 3.
