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Neighbors (2014 film)

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This article is about the American film. For the Indian film, see Neighbours (2014 Indian film).

Neighbors
Seth Rogen carrying a baby, standing beside Zac Efron holding a beer, in front of a picket fence.
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
Written by
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyBrandon Trost
Edited byZene Baker
Music byMichael Andrews
Production
companies
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release dates
  • March 8, 2014 (2014-03-08) (SXSW)
  • May 9, 2014 (2014-05-09) (United States)
Running time
97 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$18 million[2]
Box office$270.7 million[2]

Neighbors (released in some countries as Bad Neighbours) is a 2014 American bromantic comedy film directed by Nicholas Stoller and written by Andrew J. Cohen and Brendan O'Brien. The film stars Seth Rogen and Zac Efron with Rose Byrne, Dave Franco, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse in supporting roles. The plot follows a couple who come into conflict with a fraternity that has recently moved in next door, which leads them into an all-out war.

The film premiered at South by Southwest on March 8, 2014, and was released on May 9 in the United States. The film received generally positive reviews, with praise aimed at Efron's breakout performance, and was a commercial success, grossing over $270 million worldwide, and became Rogen's highest-grossing live-action film. A sequel, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, was released on May 20, 2016, with Stoller returning to direct, and much of the cast reprising their roles.

Plot

[edit]

Mac Radner and his Australian-born wife Kelly are adjusting to life with their infant daughter, Stella. The restrictions of parenthood make it difficult for them to maintain their old lifestyle, which alienates them from their friends Jimmy Blevins and his ex-wife, Paula. Delta Psi Beta, a fraternity known for outrageous parties, moves in next door. The fraternity's leaders, Teddy Sanders and Pete Regazolli aspire to join Delta Psi's Hall of Fame by throwing a massive end-of-the-year party.

The Radners ask Teddy to keep the noise down and to earn their favor, he invites them to join the party. Kelly meets Teddy's girlfriend Brooke Shy, and Teddy shows Mac his bedroom, which includes a stash of fireworks and a breaker box that controls the house’s power. Teddy agrees to manage the noise but has Mac and Kelly promise to always call him instead of the police. The following night, when the party next door keeps Stella awake, Mac is unable to reach Teddy. Kelly convinces Mac to call the police anonymously, but Officer Watkins identifies them to Teddy. Betrayed, Teddy leads Delta Psi in hazing Mac and Kelly, resulting in Stella nearly eating an unused condom after the fraternity dumps their garbage on the Radners’ lawn. Mac and Kelly go to the college dean Carol Gladstone, but the school has a “three strikes” policy before it will intervene; Delta Psi's first strike was burning down their old house.

Failing to force the fraternity to move by damaging their house, Kelly manipulates Pete and Brooke into having sex, and Mac leads Teddy to catch them in the act. Teddy and Pete fight and a barbecue grill injures a passing professor. This gives Delta Psi their second strike and places them on probation, effectively ending their party plans. Determined to shut down the fraternity, Mac, and Kelly enlist the help of Jimmy, who is jealous that Paula is sleeping with Delta Psi member Scoonie. To acquire evidence of Delta Psi's hazing, they hire a pledge nicknamed Assjuice to stand up to Teddy and record him threatening retaliation. When Teddy instead shows him kindness, he reveals that Mac and Kelly hired him and are trying to sabotage the fraternity. A vengeful Teddy violently pranks the Radners and Jimmy with airbags.

They send Teddy a counterfeit letter from Gladstone lifting Delta Psi’s probation. The fraternity prepares for its end-of-the-year party, which Mac, Kelly, and Jimmy widely publicize to ensure it will be out of control. Once the party is in full swing, they notify the police, but Teddy realizes what the Radners have done, and stops the party just as Watkins arrives. Jimmy throws himself from the balcony to distract Teddy, allowing Kelly to sneak into Teddy's bedroom as Mac fights him off. Unable to open the breaker box to restart the party and alert Watkins, Kelly shoots one of the fireworks at his patrol car. Paula convinces Scoonie to turn on the power, reigniting the party, and she reunites with Jimmy. Teddy takes the blame for the party, convincing Pete to flee with the others, and is arrested; the fraternity is shut down.

Four months later, Mac runs into Teddy, who is working as a shirtless greeter at Abercrombie & Fitch. They greet each other warmly and Teddy reveals he is attending night classes to complete his degree. Mac takes off his shirt and jokingly acts as a greeter with Teddy. Later, Mac and Kelly take pictures of Stella in various costumes for a calendar. They get a call from Jimmy and Paula inviting them to attend Burning Man. Mac and Kelly decline, accepting their new roles as parents.

Cast

[edit]

Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, Adam DeVine, Blake Anderson, Anders Holm, Kyle Newacheck, and Jake Johnson make cameo appearances as historical members of Delta Psi Beta.

Production

[edit]

Seth Rogen and Zac Efron became attached to the film before it was pitched to studios.[3] Universal and New Line Cinema put in bids for the film, with Universal eventually securing the rights of the then-untitled project in July 2011, which was written by Andrew J. Cohen and Brendan O'Brien.[4] The script was written shortly after.[3] It was inspired by Cohen and O'Brien's fear of adulthood.[5]: 3  In May 2012, Nicholas Stoller was in talks to direct the film.[6] The story was originally about Rogen's character and students in a frat, but as it was too similar to Old School, Stoller changed the script so that it would focus on Rogen's character and his wife against the frat students. Producer Evan Goldberg said: "The initial idea was frat war with Zac Efron. Maybe Seth, but definitely Zac Efron."[3] Byrne's role grew from a footnote relegated to the responsibilities of adulthood to a full-on partner-in-crime. Cohen also said: "Initially, our biggest problem with the script was that it was too repetitious, and amping up Kelly’s involvement and bringing her into the war broke everything wide open."[5]: 6  Rogen welcomed the change, "to me that made it even better because it became less about me and some guys fucking with a frat. It was much more about me and my wife, which was way more interesting."[3] The cast and crew had two weeks of rehearsals during which they practised improvisation.[5]

Principal photography began in April 2013[7] and was completed by the end of May 2013 in Los Angeles, United States.[8] Filming lasted 38 days.[9] The two houses used in the film are situated in the West Adams District of Los Angeles.[5]

Cameras and iPhones were distributed to extras, partygoers, and cast members for additional first-person perspective.[5]: 11  On August 26, 2013, the film's original title Townies was changed to Neighbors.[10] The film was released as Bad Neighbours outside of the U.S., to prevent confusion with the similarly titled Australian soap opera. Compared with other English-speaking countries, the Australian soap was not widely known in the U.S. at the time the movie was released.[11][12][13]

A "work-in-progress" cut of the film was screened on March 8, 2014, at The Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas during South by Southwest.[14]

Release

[edit]

Neighbors grossed $150.2 million in North America and $120.5 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $270.7 million against a budget of $18 million,[2] which is more than 50% less than the average film budget. Since this was the case, all of the actors had to undergo major pay cuts. Calculating in all expenses, Deadline Hollywood estimated that the film made a profit of $136.1 million.[15] It is Rogen's highest grossing non-animated film, surpassing Knocked Up ($219.1 million).[16]

The film grossed $49 million in its opening weekend in North America, finishing the weekend in first place at the box office. The opening total was the third highest United States opening for a non-sequel R-rated comedy behind Sex and the City ($57 million) in 2008 and Ted ($54.4 million) in 2012.[17]

Reception

[edit]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 73% based on 224 reviews, with an average rating of 6.4/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "With plenty of bawdy humor evenly spread between its well-matched stars, Neighbors earns its R rating -- and filmgoers' laughs."[18] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 68 out of 100 based on 45 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[19] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.[20]

Critics praised Efron's performance, and noted that he had successfully shed the "Disney kid" pretty boy stereotype.[21][22] Critics also praised Byrne's performance and the writers' decision to have her character be a co-conspirator with Rogen's character as opposed to having her on the sidelines.[23]

Accolades

[edit]

List of awards and nominations
Group Date of ceremony Category Recipients Outcome
15th Golden Trailer Awards May 30, 2014 Best Comedy Trailer 4[24] Nominated
Best Comedy Poster Teaser One-sheet[25] Won
Best Comedy TV Spot Mad Neighbors[24][25] Won
MTV Movie Awards April 12, 2015 Best On-Screen Duo Zac Efron and Dave Franco[26] Won
Best Shirtless Performance Zac Efron[26] Won
Best Fight Seth Rogen vs. Zac Efron[26] Nominated
Best Kiss Rose Byrne and Halston Sage[26] Nominated
#WTF Moment Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne[26] Won
Best Musical Moment Seth Rogen and Zac Efron[26] Nominated
Best Comedic Performance Rose Byrne[26] Nominated
2014 Young Hollywood Awards July 28, 2014 Best Threesome Zac Efron, Dave Franco, Christopher Mintz-Plasse Nominated
Best Cast Chemistry–Film Neighbors cast Nominated
41st People's Choice Awards January 7, 2015 Favorite Comedic Movie Neighbors Nominated
20th Critics' Choice Awards January 15, 2015 Best Actress in a Comedy Rose Byrne Nominated

Soundtrack

[edit]
Neighbors (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
Various artists
ReleasedApril 29, 2014 (2014-04-29)
Length42:58
LabelAtlantic, Back Lot

The soundtrack was released as a digital download in the US on April 29, 2014,[27] and in the UK on May 12, 2014.[28]

Standard edition[27]
No.TitleArtistsLength
1."Get Ur Freak On / Keep Me"Missy Elliott and The Black Keys3:27
2."Freaking Out"Flo Rida feat. StayC Reign2:58
3."Good Day"Nappy Roots3:39
4."London Bridge"Fergie3:25
5."Girls Girls $"Theophilus London3:12
6."All Night"Icona Pop3:08
7."Hurt Me Tomorrow"K'naan3:49
8."Die Young"Kesha3:33
9."Cheap Beer"FIDLAR2:23
10."Raise Those Hands"Bassjackers and R3hab4:57
11."First Name Trouble"Witchman featuring Marz4:16
12."Here Comes the Hotstepper" (Heartical Remix)Ini Kamoze4:11

Sequel

[edit]
Main article: Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising

On February 6, 2015, it was announced that a sequel to Neighbors is in development, entitled Sorority Rising, with Stoller set to return to direct. Once again written by Andrew J. Cohen and Brendan O'Brien, the film follows Mac and Kelly joining forces with Teddy to take on the sorority girls who move into the old frat house. Rogen, Byrne, and Efron, as well as Franco, Barinholtz, and Gallo, all reprised their roles. Chloë Grace Moretz,[29][30] Kiersey Clemons, Beanie Feldstein, and Selena Gomez also joined the cast.[31] Principal photography began in mid-2015 and the film was released May 20, 2016.

References

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  1. ^ "BAD NEIGHBOURS (15)". Universal Pictures. British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved April 4, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c "Neighbors (2014)". Box Office Mojo. July 5, 2014. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d Taylor, Drew (May 8, 2014). "Interview: 'Neighbors' Star Seth Rogen Talks Making It Relatable, Improv With Zac Efron And The Movie's Distinctive Look". IndieWire. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  4. ^ Fleming, Mike (July 22, 2011). "Universal Lands 7-Figure Pitch Deal For R-Rated Seth Rogen-Zac Efron Comedy". Deadline Hollywood. PMC. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Neighbors Production Notes" (PDF). Visual Hollywood. Universal Pictures. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  6. ^ Kit, Borys (May 21, 2012). "'Five-Year Engagement' Director Boards Seth Rogen-Zac Efron Comedy (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  7. ^ "'Townies', starring Zac Efron, Dave Franco, & Seth Rogen, spotted filming in Los Angeles". onlocationvacations.com. April 8, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  8. ^ "Zac Efron Wraps Filming "Townies"". disneydreaming.com. May 28, 2013. Archived from the original on June 22, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  9. ^ Cheney, Alexandra (March 19, 2014). "How Seth Rogen Negotiated Through Studio System for 'Neighbors'". Variety. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  10. ^ "Nick Stoller's Townies Retitled as Neighbors". ComingSoon.net. Evolve Media, LLC. August 26, 2013. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  11. ^ Patric, Seb (May 2014). "Bad Neighbours review". denofgeeks.com. Retrieved July 15, 2014. ...As it happens, this exact question is at the very centre of Bad Neighbours (renamed over here from its US title Neighbors, for obvious Australian-soap-confusion-avoidance reasons)...
  12. ^ Glasby, Matt. "Bad Neighbours Review". Totalfilm.com. Retrieved July 15, 2014. ...Called Neighbors in the States, where the words Ramsay Street mean nothing...
  13. ^ "Neighbors (Bad Neighbours)". Malone's Movie Minute. Retrieved July 15, 2014. ...Neighbors, which is called Bad Neighbours in Australia, lest you think this was a feature length version of the Aussie TV soap opera…
  14. ^ "Neighbors". SxSW. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  15. ^ Mike Fleming Jr (March 12, 2015). "No. 11 'Neighbors' – 2014 Most Valuable Blockbuster Movie Tournament". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  16. ^ "Seth Rogen". boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
  17. ^ Subers, Ray. "Weekend Report: 'Neighbors' Hazes 'Spider-Man'". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
  18. ^ "Neighbors (2014)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  19. ^ "Neighbors Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  20. ^ "Was It Wise To Divide Up 'Mockingjay'? Finale's $102.4M Debut Is 5th Highest Of 2015, But Lowest In Series". Deadline Hollywood. November 22, 2015.
  21. ^ Andrea Mandell, USA TODAY (May 6, 2014). "Zac Efron sends up his image in 'Neighbors'". USATODAY. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
  22. ^ "Zac Efron Shops Dildos in 'Neighbors,' Proving Once Again He's Far More Than a Disney Star". TheWrap. March 9, 2014. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
  23. ^ "'Neighbors': Rose Byrne's comedic talents in bloom". Los Angeles Times. May 12, 2014. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  24. ^ a b "Nominees For The 15th Annual Golden Trailer Awards Revealed As Industry Prepares For One Of The Most Fun And Original Awards Shows Honoring The Best In Motion Picture Trailers And Marketing". BoxOffice.com. May 6, 2014. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  25. ^ a b "'Gravity' Wins Best of Show at Golden Trailer Awards". Variety. May 30, 2014. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  26. ^ a b c d e f g Johnson, Zach (March 4, 2015). "MTV Movie Awards 2015: Complete List of Nominees!". E!. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  27. ^ a b "Amazon.com: Neighbors (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Explicit]: Neighbors (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack): MP3 Downloads". Amazon.
  28. ^ "iTunes - Music - Bad Neighbours (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Various Artists". itunes.apple.com. April 29, 2014.
  29. ^ Justin Kroll (July 23, 2015). "Chloe Moretz Joins Zac Efron, Seth Rogen in 'Neighbors 2' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  30. ^ Anthony D'Alessandro (July 27, 2015). "'Neighbors 2' Now Opening no May 20, 2016 Against 'Angry Birds', 'Nice Guys' - Deadline". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  31. ^ "Neighbors 2 Is Bringing Back A Ton Of Characters". Cinema Blend. August 13, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
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