A couple with a newborn baby face unexpected difficulties after a fraternity moves into the house next door. imdb

A simple summary of an uncomplicated film:

Happy couple (baby) + frat boys + beer + drugs (many, many drugs) ÷ yearning to be young and carefree x lack of sleep + √protection of baby = chaos which is < John Belushi in Animal House. But still pretty funny.

Well that might be a first – maths in a film review! Believe me when I say, contrived or not, that last paragraph has more cerebral content than this whole film.

Although that doesn’t mean it is bad, it certainly has ‘funny bones’.

The director, Nicholas Stoller is Jason Segal’s creative partner and writer of the last two Muppet films. He also wrote Get Him To The Greek and Yes Man. The writers were both producers or crew on Funny People and The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Both Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne have earned their comedy chops (albeit in quite different ways) as have several of the actors in support, like Christopher Mintz-Plasse.

However does being a good writer make you a good director … and does being a successful producer make you a good writer?

I think the answer to that will entirely depend on how you feel about this sort of comedy.

I enjoyed it – and I am still enough of a mum to feel mildly embarrassed saying that. Perhaps it was seeing it on a lazy Sunday afternoon – and perhaps it was because I had my daughter for company so I was in an undemanding mood. But I did laugh. Several times. You’ve seen two of the best gags in the shorts but they still work well onscreen.

It doesn’t have the shock value that some others of this ilk have had. There are even some attempts to add depth with rekindled romance (married couple), undying friendship (the heads of the frat – an astoundingly ripped Zac Efron and charming Dave Franco) and a slightly awkward life lesson in the final act. However it is pretty much a lowbrow comedy. And there is nothing wrong with that.

Stoller also directed Forgetting Sarah Marshall – famous for Paul Rudd’s mimicry of a British accent and endless shots of Jason Segal’s dangly bits. I suspect his sense of humour and Seth Rogen’s would be on the same thinking-with-the-groin-brain level. There are certainly lots of dick jokes. Lots.

It is not the gross out level of the second Hangover film, actually it isn’t even really on the gross out level of Bridesmaids but it is definitely aimed at the R-rated humour market. There are hundreds of f-bombs and other swear words, conversations about sex, allusions to sex, sex, dicks, fake dicks, boobs and drugs and conversations about drugs. So if that is not your speed I would not recommend this film.

If, however, you have become desensitised to this sort of shock value humour, either by watching similar films or because people you know could have been cast in this film – knock yourself out, enjoy it.

The baby (played by twins) is adorable so stay for the credits where they dress her up as each character.

PS – It was originally titled Neighbors in the US but was retitled here and in the UK because of some soapie …