The first “Neighbors” was a fun, exciting and surprising comedy that not only made you laugh, but also make you think a little differently about all of the wacky hijinx that ensued. In a way, there was a heart and a message about growing up and doing something with your life after college that hit home and made it more than just your average R-rated comedy.
That’s why the sequel, “Sorority Rising,” is a small step down, with less heart and humanity, and more wackiness and raunch in place. Much like the first though, the sequel features Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly Radner (Rose Byrne) with another bun in the oven and their house on the market. While they are told that they have a prospective buyer interested in the place, they are given a 30 day trial period where nothing can go wrong. That’s fine for Mac and Kelly, all up until a sorority house moves in next door and all of a sudden, they’re back to where they were nearly two years ago: Battling college kids and trying to get a good night’s sleep.
Sure, it’s a lot like the first, but there are also some diversions that make it smarter than most comedy sequels. For one, the leader of the sorority (Chloe Grace Moretz) starts one with her friends because she doesn’t like the misogynistic mind set when it comes to the fraternity life. Also, she’s not really a student looking to cause havoc for everyone around her; she’s just trying to have some fun with her fellow friends, as well as being able to pay rent by the end of the month. Of course, Zac Efron’s Teddy comes into play somehow, but mostly, it all turns out to be the same movie as the first, although still very funny and with some interesting points to make about life and, surprisingly, gender.
7 / 10Dan O’Neill is currently a journalism student at Temple University. He can be reached at tuf73940@temple.edu.
