Brendan O’Brien

Brendan O’Brien’s name might not be splashed across billboards, but if you’ve watched Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016) or Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016), you’ve seen his work in action. The guy’s got this knack for crafting stories that don’t just try to make you laugh—they go for full-on chaos and awkward moments, stuff you can’t help but cringe and grin at. Neighbors 2? Absolute mayhem—college parties, suburban nightmares, and that weird line between adulthood and “am I still cool?” O’Brien’s writing digs into those universal “oh god, I’ve been there” situations, whether it’s Zac Efron throwing a wild party or Seth Rogen desperately trying to keep his life together. Then there’s Back in Action (2025), which, yeah, everyone’s buzzing about because it’s supposed to be Jamie Foxx’s big return. O’Brien’s fingerprints are all over it—action, punchy banter, probably some off-the-wall shenanigans no one asked for but will definitely remember. The thing about O’Brien is he doesn’t just write jokes for the sake of jokes. His stuff pokes at real stuff—relationships, growing up (or refusing to), the weirdness of family. Even when things get totally out of hand on screen, you can feel that little thread of “oh, this is totally something that would happen to me if I wasn’t careful.” The guy’s good at balancing the wild with the relatable, which is probably why his movies just work, even if you’re only half paying attention.