When I was 13 my parents rented me a film they thought would speak to my blossoming adolescence — “American Pie.” Needless to say the film packed more punch than either I or my parents were expecting, but from that moment on, I forever felt a connection with Jim, Stiffler, Oz, Kevin and, of course, Finch.
Luckily, after 13 years — has it been that long? — “American Reunion” proves that even if the actors involved haven’t had stellar film careers, they still understand these characters and deliver all the raunchy, crude humor that is associated with these films.
“American Reunion” is going to work best for people who grew up with the characters or at the very least have seen the films. Considering that a majority of the film’s soundtrack is made up of songs ripped from the ‘90s, it’s possible that the feeling of nostalgia the film is going for will be lost on those who weren’t old enough to appreciate the decade.
As the title suggests, the film centers on the gang reuniting to go to their school’s ten-year reunion, three years late — something I’m glad the movie references. “American Reunion,” spends its first act giving us a look at where all the characters are in their lives. Some are married, and one is a small-time celebrity, but it would seem that their lives didn’t turn out the way they had planned.
Not that the plot is super engaging, but to say anything more would ruin the fun. I enjoyed “American Wedding.” This film is the closure the series deserves. It delivers bigger laughs and more outrageous gags. Like the earlier films, “American Reunion” delivers consistent laughs while setting up the larger scenes, like the webcam scene in the original, or the lesbian scene in the sequel.
I took a friend with me who hadn’t seen any of the original films; even though he laughed throughout the entire movie, afterwards he said he felt there were a lot of inside jokes he didn’t understand having not seen the other movies.
This is probably its biggest fault if any. The movie is a love letter to its fans and doesn’t make any attempts at welcoming newcomers. The film could have been even stronger if there had been a new character who could have served as the voice of everyone watching who has yet to have their first slice of pie. As an example, one of the longest-running jokes in the series involves a certain character’s mom. After all these years there is some big payoff, but if you haven’t seen the originals, you won’t appreciate the moment as much.
“American Reunion” is everything a fan of the series can hope for. If you haven’t seen the originals yet, do yourself a favor and spend a day laughing at the sexual exploits of misguided teens and then head to the theater to see what happens everyone grows up
Comments