AMERICAN REUNION – The Review

Before all the big Summer vacation escapes and adventures, some folks want to take time to remember the past and re-connect with old friends. The same is true for the characters in one of the last decade’s most influential comedies. Building on the return of the R rated sex comedy begun with the big box office of THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY in 1998, AMERICAN PIE exploded at the cineplexes in 2000. As SCREAM did with the slasher genre ( or as Siskel and Ebert referred to them, ” the dead teenager movie ” ), PIE brought back to life another genre from many years ago: the youth-oriented sex comedy ( or as S & E called them, ” the horny teenager movie ” ). In the years since the original, its theatrical sequels and a few direct to DVD flicks, the HANGOVER films and BRIDESMAIDS have shot to the top of the list of movie grossers ( in money and raunch ). So can the old PIE gang return in AMERICAN REUNION and show these cinema upstarts a thing or two ( I mean they’re ” gasp ” in their thirties now! ) ?

As with the original  AMERICAN theatrical trilogy, Jim Levenstein ( Jason Biggs ) is the main focus of this installment. He’s working for a big Chicago company and has made a home with his ” band girl ” Michelle ( Alyson Hannigan ) and his adorable three-year old son. But it seems that the couple have lost that ‘ spark ‘. What could rekindle, or re-ignate said spark? How about a trip back to their home town for the big thirteenth high school reunion ( Hmm, thought most classes get together in five-year increments. Oh well )? They’ll stay with Jim’s dad ( Eugene Levy ), a widower of the past three years who may try to get back out in the dating scene, and meet up with the old gang. Kevin ( Thomas Ian Nicholas ) is a house-husband to a very successful woman. Finch ( Eddie Kaye Thomas ) arrives with tales of globe-trotting adventure. Oz ( Chris Klein ) has perhaps made the biggest splash as a TV sports talk show host. He’s living the LA high life in an opulent mansion with a hot blonde girlfriend ( Katrina Bowden ). Except for an embarrassing stint on a TV reality / talent competition , Oz seems to have it all. And then there’s Stiffler ( Sean William Scott ), still a wild man even in the corporate world. All’s going well with the big get-together prior to the main event, until the ladies from their pasts shake things up. With Kevin, it’s old high school sweetheart Vicky ( Tara Reid ) and Oz meets his former flame, ‘ choir girl’ Heather ( Mena Suvari ). Jim is stunned, not by a former girlfriend, but by his next door neighbor. Turns out the little girl who Jim babysat is now a very stunning 18-year-old woman who wants to celebrate her birthday by acting on that crush she had on her old sitter. What’s going to happen to all these relationships during this long wild weekend back home?

So, is this reunion worth attending? The script hits a few bumps ( The Jim and Michelle conflict is a bit tired ), but there are some big laughs ( although we can see the set-ups sometimes ) and the cast is very eager to please. In the last few years, many of them have fought their demons publicly , so here they’re given another chance to show us their comedic skills. Biggs is still a master of embarrassment and humiliation ( this time, the now chunkier actor is referred to as an Adam Sandler clone! ). Kudos for the addition of Dania Ramirez as Michelle’s old band geek buddy who’s now a smokin’ hot bartender ( a bit of ethnic diversity helps spice things up ). Most get their chance to shine, although several orignal classmates only have glorified walk-ons ( you could miss them if you go on a bathroom break ). John Cho does return as the guy who launched ‘ MILF ‘ into cinema lexicon. Speaking of that term, the cougar queen, Stifler’s Mom ( Jennifer Coolidge ) is back too and has some great scenes with her Christopher Guest team-mate Levy ( be sure and stick around for the end credits for a great bonus bit ). The most dependable laugh-getter of the bunch maybe Scott as the oddly endearing Stifler. By all rights this coarse, clueless oaf should be the villain, but somehow we feel bit protective of him ( to paraphrase one of his pals, ” Stifler may be a d**k, but he’s our d**k” ). The guy’s like an overly frisky puppy that goes right for your leg, Annoying, but still lovable. This may be in part because of the zeal the talented Mr. Scott infuses into every line reading ( look for him as a sweeter, but still dense  guy in GOON ). The movie’s a tad too long at just under two hours, but you’ll have a good deal of fun spending time with the old crew. They’re not horny teenagers anymore, but as the Who classic ( and recent film ) states, the kids are all right

Overall Rating: 3.5 Out of 5 Stars