“Neighbors” is a comedy about a young family being subjugated to the horror that is living next door to a college frat house, and how the young family struggles to stay young, while the frat bros struggle with being fratty and what they need to do next with their lives. Plenty of dick jokes abound throughout, but it is tempered quite well with character arcs and emotional story beats, and it all blends together for a fun, funny and still somewhat touching movie.

The movie starts with married couple Mac and Kelly (Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne) trying to have “spontaneous” sex in their new home. What makes this such a feat for the two of them is the fact that it is happening while they have a precious little baby girl, and not only is this happening shortly after the birth (since the kid can’t even stumble around yet on its own) but with the kid in the room, watching them. How can people have fun, spontaneous sex while also debating whether or not their infant child can understand that they are having sex or if she only sees shapes?

And while this scene is obviously meant to be a funny joke, it also importantly sets up a main theme of the movie, which is how this couple wants to stay young and vibrant like they were when they met in college, as opposed to the old, boring fogies they are threatening to become. Later on we see them climb into bed to go to sleep and they have to put in sleep apnea mouth guards and shit, and they try to kiss each other goodnight and it is just ridiculous. They don’t want to admit it, but they’re all grown up, their relationship has arrived at a very comfortable place, and they can’t hang with the kids anymore.Continue Reading …