American Reunion

American Reunion (2012)

*** (out of 4)

The fourth film in the series brings back all the major players from the first film for their 13th anniversary. Jim, Oz, Kevin, Finch and Stifler decide to have some fun during the reunion even if each one of them are facing dramas of being adults. It's really a shame that most people will probably stay away from this due to two weak sequels and a whole slew of direct- to-DVD cash ins because American REUNION is certainly the best film since the first and it's also one of the better "reunion" movies that has been made over the past few decades. I think the film made a good decision in not going for 100% gross-out humor like the two sequels and instead it tries to put in some characters just like the first movie. Needless to say but the entire cast fit back into their roles so perfectly that you don't have to worry about any weak performances. All of them do an extremely good job and especially Chris Klein who is back after missing the previous entry. Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Tara Reid, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Eddie Kaye Thomas and Seann William Scott are all perfect as well as are a few of the new people. I think the movie gets off to a somewhat shaky start but once everything dealing with the reunion kicks in we get some extremely good moments. Not all of the laughs are are loud as in the first movie but I think they're more natural and just around more fun. The entire film had a smile on my face and I thought there were some tender moments as well that worked out nicely. There's also some drama thrown in dealing with some of the characters disappointments in where they are in their lives but this here works very well. American REUNION still has plenty of raunchy sex and dirty jokes, which one has come to expect but like the first film this here also has a great and great character development. The movie is an extremely good one so hopefully people will give it a shot even if they were disappointed in the previous two sequels.

American Reunion completes the transition into adulthood for these characters in a typically sincere fashion. It feels ahead of its time by being a legacy sequel long before it became one of Hollywood's main vices and sacrifices none of the laughs whilst still being able to let everyone accept that it's time to move on from trying to recreate the highs of high school.

It's really nice to have the main five back together and whilst Chris Klein is probably the least funny, his reintroduction brings so much heart and that's always been this franchise's greatest strength. Seann William Scott essentially repeats his arc from the last one to even greater success and Eugene Levy getting more screen time than ever is an adorable gift.

Directors Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg continue what Jesse Dylan started by giving this one quite a bit of energy with their pretty dynamic direction. There's some well placed callbacks here and some of these jokes leave a huge lasting impression. As is always the case, the soundtrack here is a real highlight as it bookends the film rather than being a constant presence.

I was 16 when the original American Pie came out. It was a film that spoke to me greatly. It was my generation's Ridgemont High, you might say. The sequels too, were enjoyable. But to say that the series didn't wear itself thin might be an understatement. And don't even get me started on the direct to DVD creations. However, American Reunion surprised me with a couple entertaining trailers, and nostalgia grabbed me by the balls. Having had the opportunity to see an early screening, I am happy to say that this is the series I remembered it being.

There's nothing too outside the norm for an American Pie series film. We find the original cast living life over ten years after the original film. Jim and Michelle are having a few marital issues and raising a kid. Stiffler is working a job as a temp, dealing with an a-hole boss. Finch has become a mystery of sorts. Oz is a big shot sportscaster with a supermodel girlfriend. And Kevin is a stay at home husband, slash architect. The group returns for their high school reunion and reconnect with each other and their fellow classmates. But this is a film that is as much about the audience seeing it as it is about our favorite foursome. As stated, the film isn't remarkable in the plot sense. Unlike the previous films, there isn't a big endgame to cling to. There's no goal of losing virginity like the first film, finding true love like the second film, or having a successful wedding like the third film. Instead, these characters just deal with being back in their hometown and their own individual issues.

If anything, the film is highly nostalgic. It's filled with characters and situations reminiscent of the previous films. It still manages to surprise with many of it's shenanigans, from the boys having to get out of some awkward tight spots, to Jim once again finding himself in extremely embarrassing situations. Heck we even get a few truly surprising moments that are also very laugh out loud. But for the audience that grew up on these films, it will be like a trip down memory lane. It's fun seeing all your favorite characters return, from the underused ones to all of the main cast. Even seeing characters like Oz or Vicky, whose real life counterparts haven't had much of a career since the American Pie film, are pleasant to see again. And they all do a great job of reprising these characters. Best of all, the film is hilarious, with plenty of laugh out loud moments.

My biggest qualm with the film is it's lack of a strong central plot. Nostalgia only goes so far and there's really nothing to cling to here in terms of something these characters are working for. By comparison, there was the ever present goal of the guys losing their virginity. Here, their personal issues seem meager. Yes, Jim and Michelle are having issues, but you never really feel like it won't work out. Knowing these characters, you already know they love each other. The same goes for most of the others, whom you always feel will come out on top. This despite a few surprises. And with the whole movie revolving around the up coming reunion, an event which doesn't seem to have much affect on the direction these characters take, there's never a real sense of character growth. Instead, you're just hanging out with the boys again, watching them get into trouble.

But this is okay. It's okay because the movie is funny. Much of what happens resembles the kind of humorous situations from the other films. There are some truly laugh out loud moments and the surprises will have you howling. Despite my nostalgic interest in the film, I found some genuinely fun and surprising moments. For fans, this should be a no brainer. The film is definitely worth the watch.

Caught a preview screening of this movie tonight in NYC. I am 26 years old now, so I was in 8th grade when the original came out.

Thought the first two were awesome but thought the third noticeably drifted away from what made the first two special.(A little too much Stifler).

For American Pie 4, when I saw the preview I was excited to see them all back together, but I didn't know what to expect. I know Hollywood loves destroying sequels and I didn't know how they were going to create a story line out of characters that really haven't been together in forever.

Fear not. I though this movie was almost as good as the original. Two hours of non-stop cracking-up, but none of it was forced. They brought back all the characters, but in a way that didn't seem thrown together or in-genuine. It was about 2 hours and 15 minutes long, but not once did I think this was dragging. They did a nice job explaining where everyone has been and it didn't really seem awkward.

The best part of it is, the story is about all 5 of the original guys, and their relationship with women and sex at their current juncture (31 years old). Each have their own issues (too married, have kids, hate their jobs, hate their lifestyle, etc.) and the movie is kind of about them all resolving their that over the course of a reunion weekend. It's the American Pie which is most similar too the first one. All the old couples from high-school (Oz/Heather, Kevin/Vicky, Jim/Michelle) re-hash their past feelings.

Another great thing about the film is that Stifler's character is written back in the style of American Pie 1 and 2, which I loved. His part is not over bearing like the Wedding. Kevin, Finch (and Oz) play much bigger roles than they did they did in the third.

There a couple new characters but none of them are annoying or take up too much of the story, all those parts are well cast. Jim's Dad and Stifler's Mom are hilarious on screen together. Jim's Dad is the funniest he has ever been- but again- not in an over the top way. All in all, it's a well-written, well-rounded film with some good plot twists. Tons of references too the old films. Literally, all of the obscure characters from the first two make an appearance at some point.

BOTTOM LINE: 9/10. If you are a fan of the American Pie films (especially 1 & 2) your going to LOVE this movie. Worth the $.

Going to keep this short, because it's my first review, and I don't wamt to bore people.

Saw an early screening today in Amsterdam, and I was really excited because the trailer promised a lot. And you know what? It was amazing!

Simply because they made it as good as the original and the second movie. (I liked the first two but I personally think that the third one drifted away from the original theme a bit)

I also liked how they made Stifler return to his original state. Crazy as always, doing things the way he wants to do. The other thing that I found good was that they briefly showed what everyone does after high school and at what position they are at the moment.

All in all, great film (what else could you expect from these guys), I'd say go see it, definitely worth your time!