American Reunion Review

American Reunion  review: A decade-old pie that’s still fresh

First published on upstart magazine. 

More than a decade later, it’s finally here:American Reunion. You’ll get what you expect in the latest American Pie film; nudity, sex, drinking and drama.

American Reunion is the eighth instalment of the American Pie Series. It is the fourth instalment of the original series, while the other four films: Book of Love, Band Camp, Naked Mile and Beta House,were low-budget direct-to-DVD films.

Rejoining on screen is the original group of high school friends who appeared in the original series: Jim, Stifler, Kevin, Finch and Oz. This time around they’re reuniting in their Michigan hometown for their high school reunion. Directed by Hayden Schlossberg and Jon Hurwitz – writers of the Harold and Kumar films – American Reunion definitely brings the humour we have all been waiting for in an American Pie film.

More than a decade after their graduation, we get to see where the boys all ended up post high school. Though their lives now involve jobs—and for Jim, parenthood—we still get to see the original funny guys we saw when they were still high schoolers, only this time they’re not obsessed with losing their virginity.

While the film still revolves around sex, nudity and love, like its predecessors; this film has a different plot with different drama.

Like usual, Jim (Jason Biggs) gets himself into sticky situations once again. To add to Jim’s drama, he and his wife Michelle (Alyson Hannigan) are having sex problems—that problem being they’re having none.  Unlike the other boys Oz (Chris Klein) Finch (Eddie Kay Thomas)  and Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas), who have moved on from high school, Stifler (Seann William Scott) is still the same guy he was 10 years ago. He still lives at home with his mum and acts like the dick he always was.

The film’s comedy stays true to the heart of what it gave us before. The jokes are based on the same sexual basis they were in the first films. Jim and Stifler, yet again, are the ones who play out most of the comedy in the film; Stifler up to his usual pranks and Jim being the victim of sexual public embarrassment.

The vibe is the same as the original films, which is what most of the original audience would’ve wanted and expected. While the jokes are well-written, it’s the timing of the actors that makes them brilliant.

–Universal Pictures

For those who enjoyed the original films more than a decade ago, they’ll find the comedy just as humourous now as they did before. While the original cast grew up, so did the original audience and the film caters to this. For those who weren’t avid fans of the original films and are seeing their first American Pie film, they will still be satisfied—unless you don’t like immature pranks, inappropriate behaviour, sexual references and silly gags.

Adding more spice to the pie, the film is heartfelt: brotherhood, friendship, romance, love and family all playing key parts in the story. The audience is left feeling good and laughing until the end of the film. Although a lot hasn’t changed in terms of the comedy, the lives of the original cast do. The film is rewarding for its original audience to watch, as a lot of unanswered questions from previous film are revealed.

I have a strong feeling it won’t be the last American Pie film. The boys say, ‘Till next time!’, to each other in one of the last scenes, as they sit outside the diner they hung out at during high school.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.