American Pie Reunion
Review by Sean Lynch
While "beating a dead horse" is hardly a new trend in Hollywood, you have to at least give them credit for being creative in doing so. Hence the slew of "reunion movies", not reboots but returns.
We saw it with Tron Legacy, Scream 4, we'll see it with Dumb & Dumber 2 - and right now we have got American Reunion.
Unlike some of the previous titles mentioned, the good news with American Reunion is that it's a welcome return to a familiar world!
While most of us will happily admit that American Wedding was devoid of any memorable moments, there is something inescapable about the cultural impact of the original 1999 American Pie film. It was, at least for my generation, our Sixteen Candles. Your enjoyment of American Reunion therefore will depend rather largely on your age.
Because of this, the nostalgia factor plays a phenomenal role in the level of enjoyment you may or may not find within the flick. Even the soundtrack kicks off the sense memory and, personally, took me right back to my Year 8 head space (the American Pie 2 soundtrack still floats around my bedroom) purely because it played such a pivitol role in my upbringing.
So let's get to brass tax, what's American Pie : Reunion all about. All the American Pie characters we met a little more than a decade ago are returning to East Great Falls for their high-school reunion. In one long-overdue weekend, they will discover what has changed, who hasn't and that time and distance can't break the bonds of friendship.
It was summer 1999 when four small-town Michigan boys began a quest to lose their virginity. In the years that have passed, Jim and Michelle married while Kevin and Vicky said goodbye. Oz and Heather grew apart, but Finch still longs for Stifler's mom. Now these lifelong friends have come home as adults to reminisce about - and get inspired by - the hormonal teens who launched a comedy legend.
There's plenty to like here, Sean William Scott's Stiffler is in stunning form (truly one of the only stars that actually has comedic talent outside of the good looks they were all originally cast for), while Eugene Levy gives his best performance of the series - and, perhaps, the last decade.
The success of the film lays in the hands of Harold & Kumar scribes Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg who know exactly who they are writing for. There is a perfect mix of familiarity, wacky moments and genuine emotion. They do their best with the limited acting capabilities of Chris Klein and Tara Reid (who deserves an award for her attempts at "sleep acting"), and thrive when introducing their buddy John Cho (and out-and-out highlight machine as Milf Guy #2).
What's most impressive is their ability to have made a teen romp for adults. It's something that shouldn't work, but somehow does.
There are plenty of laughs and good vibes to be had here, but will admittedly be enjoyed far more by those who lived with these characters during their formative teens years.
It's good to have the gang back!
The best news for DVD fans is that Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg know how to put together a great swag of Special Features. The DVD and Blu Ray editions are positively packed with goodies including...
- The "Reunion" Reunion
- Alternate Takes
- American Gonad-iators
- American Reunion Yearbook
- Dancing with Oz
- Deleted Scenes
- Extended Scenes
- Feature Commentary
- Gag Reel
- Jim's Dad
- Lake Bake
- Ouch! My Balls!
- The Best of Biggs
Well worth checking out!
Conclusion: Movie 80% Extras: 80%
