It is (lucky) thirteen years later and high school buddies Jim (Jason Biggs – Jersey Girl, Saving Silverman), Michelle (Alyson Hannigan – from television How I Met Your Mother), Oz (Chris Klein – Election, We Were Soldiers), Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas – Rookie of the Year, American Wedding), Vicky (Tara Reid – The Big Lebowski, Van Wilder), Stifler (Seann William Scott – Role Models, Dude, Where’s My Car?), Heather (Mena Suvari – American Beauty, American Pie 2), and Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas – Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, American Pie) all return to their hometown of East Great Fall, Michigan for their upcoming reunion. As they get together they begin to learn about what has happened in each of their lives over the past decade.
Jim and Michelle are married and have a 2-year-old son, Oz works as a sports newscaster and is engaged to Mia (Katrina Bowden – from television’s 30 Rock), Kevin is married, an architect, a stay-at-home dad, and has “settled” into his life, and Stifler is working as a temp and has an awful boss. With all this excitement in their lives (sarcasm) it is no wonder that they all run home when they are invited to the reunion thrown by MILF (John Cho – Star Trek, A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas).
I remember having to sneak in to see the original American Pie film as my parents thought it was too raunchy. Like most other young people I loved it. I then went to see the two sequels, which were not as good as the original but I was happy to have seen them. In other words I was looking forward to the American Pie gang to get together again.
All of us have aged over the time between the first film and the latest. Appropriately the humour has mellowed out a little as well. They still get in all kinds of situations but they are more age appropriate ones now. There is still the occasional crass joke thrown in for good measure, however.
This more mature type of comedy means that the pacing of the movie is slower than we are used to from these guys. It takes some getting used to. And I’m not sure I ever did, if I’m being perfectly honest. Or maybe it was because the film was about 20 minutes too long. At least that much of it felt like filler to me. Whatever the case it dragged itself along like a wounded dog.
On the other hand, the updated brand of humour also gives the film series a dose of much needed freshness. After film number three I felt like the American Pie series had run out of road but this one paves a whole new one. Made me feel like they could go for more. American Midlife Crisis? American Senior Residence?
Nostalgia was a huge part of the film for me. While this wasn’t even close to being a perfect film (or even as enjoyable as the original) it still felt like I was watching old friends and their shenanigans. I had fun and could stand for some more.
Special Features:
-Digital Copy
-The “Out of Control” Track
-Deleted, Extended, Alternate Scenes
-Gag Reel
-The “Reunion” Reunion: Relaunching the Series
-The Best of Biggs: Hanging With Jason B.
-Lake Bake
-Dancing With the Oz
-American Gonad-iators: The Fight Scene
-Jim’s Dad
-Ouch! My Balls
-American Reunion Yearbook
-Feature Commentary
