---
title: "Neighbors"
year: 2014
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/neighbors"
fi1m_id: "neighbors"
imdb_id: "tt2004420"
tmdb_id: 195589
wikidata_id: "Q14802842"
fi1m_score: 70
critics_score: 69
critics_reviews: 16
published: "2026-09-30T20:55:12.891885+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-30T20:55:13.456580+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Neighbors (2014)

Directed by Nicholas Stoller · 1h 37m · MPA R · Comedy

## Identity

Neighbors

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/neighbors
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** neighbors
- **IMDb ID:** tt2004420
- **TMDB ID:** 195589
- **Wikidata ID:** Q14802842
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2004420/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/195589, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14802842

**Fi1m score: 70** · Critics 69 from 16 reviews

*In a sentence:* A turf war between two sets of children, one of which has a mortgage

> Nicholas Stoller’s comedy about new parents at war with the fraternity next door is loud, crude and funnier than it has any right to be, mostly because Rose Byrne refuses to play the disapproving wife. The story under the gags is thin, and the film knows it.

## Synopsis

Mac Radner (Seth Rogen) and his wife Kelly (Rose Byrne) have a new baby, Stella (Elise Vargas), a mortgage and a quiet suburban house they have put everything into. Then a fraternity buys the place next door. Its president, Teddy Sanders (Zac Efron), and his second-in-command, Pete Regazolli (Dave Franco), are all charm on the doorstep and promise to keep the noise down, and the Radners, anxious not to seem old, go to the first party and stay until dawn. On the second night, with the baby awake and the walls shaking, Mac calls the police instead of calling Teddy first, as he swore he would. The fraternity takes this as a declaration of war, and the Radners, egged on by Mac’s colleague Jimmy (Ike Barinholtz), decide to fight back.

## Review

The premise of *Neighbors* fits on a beer mat. A couple in their thirties with a baby move next door to a fraternity, ask nicely for quiet, and are ignored; hostilities follow. Nicholas Stoller, directing a script by Andrew J. Cohen and Brendan O’Brien, has no interest in pretending this is more than it is. What he has made instead is a 97-minute escalation of pranks with a few honest observations about getting older tucked in among the jokes about male anatomy. It is uneven and it is often stupid, and we laughed a great deal more than we expected to.

The reason is Rose Byrne. The wife in this kind of film is usually the brake, the person who says no so that the husband can say yes and the plot can happen. Byrne’s Kelly is the accelerator. She is the one who wants to go to the party, the one who proposes the nastier schemes, and the one who carries out the cruellest of them with a bright, reasonable smile while Mac stands beside her looking worried. Byrne plays every line as if it were the obvious thing to say, which is the only way this material works, and she gets the biggest laughs in the film without once raising her voice.

Zac Efron is the other surprise. Teddy Sanders is the fraternity’s president and its poster, and Efron plays him with a vanity so complete it becomes touching: he knows exactly how he looks, he knows it is the only thing he has, and he is starting to suspect it will not last past graduation. Dave Franco’s Pete is the clever one, the boy with the job offer, and the film is quietly sharp about what happens to a friendship when one of you has a future and the other has a house. Julie Berghoff dresses that house so that by day it is a wreck of red cups and sagging sofas and by night, under Brandon Trost’s strobes and coloured lamps, it turns into something like a nightclub, a different building entirely. The joke is that the Radners’ house, twenty feet away, is lit like a nursery.

The trouble is everything between the set pieces. Stoller lets his cast riff, and Zene Baker cuts around the riffing so that scenes end where the laughs run out rather than where the scene does. Some exchanges, particularly between Rogen and Ike Barinholtz’s Jimmy, go on a full minute past the point where anyone said anything funny. Lisa Kudrow’s dean, Carol Gladstone, exists to give the war a scoreboard and does little else. Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Jerrod Carmichael are each given one joke and asked to make it last. Michael Andrews’s score is barely audible; the film is scored, in effect, by the parties, which is fair enough, but it means the quieter scenes have nothing under them.

Here is what got us. There is a running gag involving car airbags whose punchlines the trailer had already handed over, and we sat waiting for it with our arms folded, and it worked anyway, twice, loudly, in a full cinema. The timing is the whole trick: Baker holds the shot a beat longer than seems wise each time, so that the payoff arrives when we had stopped bracing for it. We also felt, somewhere in the last half hour, a small unexpected sadness for Teddy, watching Efron’s face as it dawns on him that the party is the only thing he is good at. The film does not linger on it. It goes straight back to the fireworks.

Stoller’s *Forgetting Sarah Marshall* (2008) had a similar looseness and a much stronger spine, a man trying to get over a woman, and every gag hung from it. *Neighbors* has a house and a grievance, and the grievance changes shape whenever the writers need a new prank. Against the fraternity films it is descended from, most obviously *Animal House* (1978), it is at least honest about the Radners: they are not the grown-ups here, they are the same people as the boys next door with worse hangovers and a baby monitor.

It is a film for a drink and for company that will not mind laughing at things nobody would admit to laughing at afterwards. It is not one for parents, or for children, or for anyone who has ever sat on a university disciplinary board. It runs 97 minutes and carries a 15, and both feel about right.

*Fi1m score 70, published 30 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics find Neighbors funny: ten of the sixteen reviews are positive, and even the mixed ones concede a decent ratio of laughs. The praise clusters on the cast rather than the writing. Rose Byrne is named more often than anyone, several reviews calling her the film’s secret asset for the way her timing keeps the outrageous material grounded. Zac Efron’s deadpan is the other recurring pleasure, along with the escalating party set pieces.

The reservations are about shape: a story that never quite arrives, uneven gags, and a reliance on shouty improvisation that some find tiresome. Slant objects that the rivalry is doggedly male-centred and Byrne is pushed into the background, an odd counterpoint to the reviews that put her front and centre. The spread is wide, from raves calling it a reinvention of the studio comedy to The Guardian, where Mark Kermode finds it aimless and notes that the trailer has already given away its best slapstick punchlines.

## Straight answers

**Is Neighbors worth watching?**

*Neighbors* is worth watching for anyone who wants a loud, crude comedy with company and a drink, and we scored it 70. Rose Byrne and Zac Efron are the reasons to stay: she plays the wife as the one proposing the nastier schemes, and he makes the fraternity president's vanity oddly touching. The scenes between the pranks sag, and the story is thin.

**How long is Neighbors, and what is it rated?**

*Neighbors* runs 1h 37m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a comedy film.

**Where can I watch Neighbors in the US?**

*Neighbors* is streaming on Netflix in the US, and it is also available to rent from Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Neighbors, and is it suitable for children?**

*Neighbors* is a 15 in the UK and R in the US, and it is not for children. The comedy is crude rather than frightening: constant swearing, drink and drugs at the parties, and a stream of jokes about male anatomy, with pranks that escalate into deliberate cruelty. Nothing in it is meant to scare; the question is whether you mind laughing at things nobody admits to afterwards.

**How does Neighbors compare to Bridesmaids?**

*Neighbors* and [*Bridesmaids*](https://film.one/film/bridesmaids) both let a strong cast riff past the point where the laughs run out, and both have Rose Byrne as a woman you expect to dislike and cannot. *Bridesmaids* is the fuller film: Kristen Wiig gives it a spine about friendship that the fraternity war never has. *Neighbors* is shorter, ruder and more purely a run of set pieces.

**What should I watch after Neighbors?**

After *Neighbors*, try [*Bridesmaids*](https://film.one/film/bridesmaids) (2011, Fi1m 82): Rose Byrne as the woman you are meant to hate, and cannot quite. Then [*Booksmart*](https://film.one/film/booksmart) (2019, Fi1m 81): One night of parties, two clever girls, and the jokes land more often.

### Reviews we read (16)

- **The Hollywood Reporter**, THR Staff (80/100, inferred): The critic finds the comedy very funny and steadily escalating, calling it a major win for its screenwriters. Rose Byrne earns special praise for her devious, scene-stealing performance. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/neighbors-sxsw-review-687046/)
- **Time Out**, Ashley Clark (4/5): The 4/5 rating indicates a positive verdict. The available page text does not reveal a specific point of praise or criticism. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/bad-neighbours)
- **Total Film**, Matt Glasby (4/5): Glasby finds the comedy consistently funny and praises its charm and set-piece gags, despite its rushed pacing and gender issues. He singles out Zac Efron’s casting and Dave Franco’s comic performance, while noting the film’s humour often outweighs its subtlety. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/bad-neighbours-review/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Betsy Sharkey (75/100, inferred): Sharkey finds the raunchy comedy successful, praising its mix of crude laughs with sweetness and intelligence. She singles out the believable relationship dialogue and the sensitivity woven into the story. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-neighbors-review-20140509-column.html)
- **Variety**, Andrew Barker (72/100, inferred): Barker finds the comedy an outrageous, winningly stupid riot despite its incoherent story and uneven gags. He particularly praises Zac Efron’s surprisingly intriguing performance and the reflection between Efron’s and Seth Rogen’s characters. [Read](https://variety.com/2014/film/festivals/sxsw-film-review-neighbors-1201128376/)
- **Vulture**, Bilge Ebiri (70/100, inferred): Ebiri finds Neighbors very funny, though somewhat confused and uneven. He praises Zac Efron’s deadpan performance and the party scenes’ feverish energy, while finding some improvised exchanges clunky. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2014/05/movie-review-neighbors.html)
- **RogerEbert.com** (64/100, inferred): The page could not be accessed, so its critical verdict cannot be verified. No review text was available to identify what the critic singled out for praise or complaint. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/neighbors-2014)
- **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (64/100, inferred): The page identifies this as a review, but its verdict is not visible in the accessible text. No specific praise or criticism can be established from the available excerpt. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/neighbors/5071197.article)
- **Slant Magazine**, Eric Henderson (2/4): The review finds the comedy doggedly focused on male-centered rivalry, with Rose Byrne’s character pushed into the background. It praises the flashbacks that skewer the veneration of fraternity traditions. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/neighbors/)
- **The Guardian**, Mark Kermode (30/100, inferred): Kermode finds the comedy aimless and too often reliant on shouty improvisation. He praises Rose Byrne’s contribution but criticizes a recurring slapstick gag whose punchlines were already given away in the trailer. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/may/04/bad-neighbours-review-raucous-comedy-short-laughs)
- **The Playlist** (90/100, inferred): The headline gives the film a strongly positive verdict, calling it one of the funniest studio comedies in recent memory. It singles out the comedy as the film’s strength. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-neighbors-with-seth-rogen-zac-efron-is-one-of-the-funniest-studio-comedies-in-recent-memory-20140507/)
- **The Wrap** (90/100, inferred): The critic calls the film an instant classic, praising its emotional intelligence and its reinvention of the studio comedy. The review especially singles out the film’s fairness to both sides of the conflict and its sharp, escalating comic set pieces. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/neighbors-review-seth-rogens-suburbanites-vs-frat-boys-comedy-instant-classic/)
- **Collider**, Perri Nemiroff (B): Nemiroff finds the film entertaining despite weak character development, logic issues, and a lack of narrative flow. She particularly praises Rose Byrne’s comic timing and ability to ground the outrageous material. [Read](https://collider.com/neighbors-movie-review/)
- **Den of Geek**, David Crow (3.5/5): Crow calls it one of the funniest films of the year, despite a slow start and an unoriginal premise. He particularly praises Rose Byrne, whose comic performance makes her the film’s secret asset. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/neighbors-review/)
- **Eye for Film**, David Graham (65/100, inferred): Graham finds the film enjoyable but misguided, with juvenile humour and an uneven balance between its protagonists and frat boys. He praises Rose Byrne and Zac Efron, and notes that Stoller captures suburban ennui well. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/bad-neighbours-2014-film-review-by-david-graham)
- **Consequence**, Blake Goble (50/100, inferred): Goble finds the comedy funny about half the time, but says it tries too hard and its story never quite delivers. He praises the aggressive pranks and the nearly all-funny jokes about male anatomy. [Read](https://consequence.net/2014/05/film-review-neighbors/)

## Details

- **Director:** Nicholas Stoller
- **Director:** Nicholas Stoller
- **Writer:** Brendan O'Brien, Andrew J. Cohen
- **Cinematography:** Brandon Trost
- **Editor:** Zene Baker
- **Music:** Michael Andrews
- **Production design:** Julie Berghoff
- **Costume design:** Leesa Evans
- **Producer:** James Weaver, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
- **Cast:** Seth Rogen as Mac Radner; Zac Efron as Teddy Sanders; Rose Byrne as Kelly Radner; Dave Franco as Pete Regazolli; Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Scoonie Schofield; Jerrod Carmichael as Garf; Ike Barinholtz as Jimmy Blevins; Carla Gallo as Paula Faldt
- **Runtime:** 1h 37m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 9 May 2014
- **Genres:** Comedy
- **Budget:** $18 million
- **Box office:** $271 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI18Jc2roqY

## Where to watch in the US

- Netflix: streaming
- Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, hd
- Apple TV: buy $14.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $14.99, hd

*Checked 2026-09-30.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Forgetting Sarah Marshall* (2008): Stoller’s earlier film, with a better spine and the same taste for embarrassment.
- *Bridesmaids* (2011), Fi1m 82: Rose Byrne as the woman you are meant to hate, and cannot quite. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/bridesmaids.md)
- *Animal House* (1978): The fraternity comedy every other fraternity comedy is still arguing with.
- *The Inbetweeners Movie* (2011): British boys on holiday, behaving no better and with far less money.
- *Booksmart* (2019), Fi1m 81: One night of parties, two clever girls, and the jokes land more often. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/booksmart.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/neighbors