MOVIE REVIEW: Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016)

Comedy

Directed By: Nicholas Stoller

When the first movie in this series came out two years ago it had the tough task of making an audience care about another raunchy college comedy, and it succeeded. The first flick is surprisingly funny and has more heart than anyone thought it would, but I don't think anyone thought it could happen again. How do you turn the cliched college comedy into something audiences haven't seen before? Apparently the answer was quite simple; you make it modern.

Director Nicholas Stoller takes the subtle progression he brought to the first film and amps it way the hell up to make Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising one of the best social satires of the modern century. It all started with one easy step, instead of focusing on the fraternity side of things this film brings us into the world of a Sorority. Three college freshman (Chloe Grace Moretz, Kiersey Clemons, and Beanie Feldstein) who were outcasts in High School decide to start their own sorority in order to break free from the archaic "laws" that govern Greek life. The only problem is they need a house.

Bringing it full circle with the first film they clearly land on the now vacant property next door to Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne), who are now in the process of selling their house. Unfortunately for them their old acquaintance Teddy (Zac Efron) has hit a rough patch in his adult life and regresses back into his old frat house in order to help these girls get on their feet. As you can expect, with Mac and Kelly trying to sell their house, it isn't long before another prank war breaks out putting all of their futures at risk.

Though the basics of the story are quite the same as the first film they found plenty of clever ways to make it feel completely different. For starters these girls are motivated to move into this house by a good cause, whereas in the first film the frat moves in after burning down their last house. Out of the gate we are on the side of the sorority, especially after you see the frat party they find themselves at. While Teddy's frat showed the glamorous side of male Greek life that many like to think is reality, this film shows us how it really is. We are in the party for maybe thirty seconds and I felt I needed a shower after it. 

This is what makes this film so impressive, it never shy's away from social satire but instead it literally beats you over the head with it until you realize how stupid we as a society have been recently. So much so that at times it feels like a spoof of the exact kind of film it is and and yet the characters feel authentic. The girls in the house are your stereotypical loud and obnoxious eighteen year olds, but this movie reminds you that it is their right to be those people. Just because they are now at college doesn't mean they have to fall pray to the misogyny and rape culture that breeds in Greek life. 

It feels weird to write about a raunchy, in-your-face, college comedy with this sort of depth but they achieved something I never thought they could with this. Not only did Nicholas Stoller make a comedy sequel that rivals the original in quality but he found a way to give a real message other than the typical "life goes on after college" we get from all the rest. He took an over saturated brand of comedy that has a history of being sexist in nature and made it into a surprisingly progressive story that I never saw coming.

With all that added intelligence this movie still succeeds at being the obnoxious, slapstick comedy that we all expect from Seth Rogen. They bring back everyone from the first movie you want to see for at least a few scenes of face time and the new comers are fantastic. Maybe I'm reading too much into this film but it says many of the things people need to hear and in ways that will make your gut bust with laughter. This is the rare comedy that works and in all of the ways none of us thought it would and I couldn't be more pleased with it.

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on Twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!