American Pie - Il primo assaggio non si scorda mai

Review: 'American Pie' is a comedy film directed by Paul and Chris Weitz. It is the first film in the 'American Pie' series. I was surprised to see the amount of negative reaction to this movie. I remember the first time I saw it and laughed almost the whole way through. The only problem that I had was that I couldn't accept the cast as being an average age of around 17. The performances were really great for a comedy of the 1990's. Jason Biggs stands out amongst all of them, with his dorky and desperate persona. He blends funny dialog with very funny physical comedy. Also, Alyson Hannigan who has a small but funny role is also great and she says the best line in the movie. Let's talk about Eugene Levi for a second, holy cow what a funny man this guy is. He is so natural as the over sharing father who just makes everybody either uncomfortable or laughing out loud. What can I say about this movie besides that It's a comedic classic! American Pie perfectly blends a buddy comedy, extreme gross-out humor, and dare I say a coming of age movie. It's one of those movies that is easy to predict when something bad will happen, but that's what made me laugh so hard. Some of the comedic moments are very offensive and this movie could not be made today. Overall, this movie is a crazy, outrageous, amazingly funny comedy. I recommend it to anybody who isn't easily offended and has a great sense of humor! 4/5

I will say this for American Pie, it's not full out of completely gross out humor like Van Wilder (2002). It's got a couple of scenes based on crude humor, but I was glad to see that for the most part, the movie steered clear of over the top disgusting humor. The characters are good hearted boys that think they just want sex, and for a couple of the characters that turns out to be true, but for a couple other of them, it turns out that just "getting laid" isn't the most important thing. I liked that the characters actually ended up to have a deeper want and that they actually end up having better connections with girls that yes may involve sex, but that's not all that it's based upon. Now this movie isn't all love and good hearted stuff, it's got plenty and I do mean plenty of raunchy/dirty humor. Humor that involves male and female masturbation in different ways, premature ejaculation, and very descriptive talk of all kinds of sexual activities. Just FYI in case any of that offends you. There is some truly funny material in the film, I laughed at several scenes in the movie. I didn't think it was laugh out loud hilarious, but some parts were funny. The parts I wasn't laughing at, I was feeling for the characters. I loved the acting from all the cast members. Tara Reid was really good as Vicky. Jason Biggs was a perfect choice for Jim. Thomas Nicholas is great as Kevin. Chris Klein is very good as Oz. And the rest of the cast is good too, but Kevin, Vicky, Oz, and Jim are the biggest characters here. I loved how Oz and Kevin were so adorable and were actually good hearted guys. I really like American Pie because not only is it funny but it's also good hearted and filled with good characters. 8/10.

American Pie starts right off with shock value, and while the film relies heavily on it, there's plenty of story and exceptional performances to hold your interest. I attended a sneak preview of what I was told was a rough cut of the film, although there was only one scene that looked unfinished. The underlying story here is that of four high school senior buddies who have made a pact with each other to get laid before they graduate, specifically at the prom. The problem is, only one of them has a serious girlfriend, and she can't decide if she's ready for sex. But where the film really makes an impact is in it's numerous masturbation related scenes. There is one scene particularly early in the film that should test your stomach for the rest of the film's humor. Now while the film may not sound like it has good morals, there is one repeated underlying message, and that is to do what you like and not what you feel pressured to do. Unfortunately, this is NOT the kind of film its target audience should be seeing. At times it makes getting laid seem like the most important part of high school. The strength of the film lies in the fact that everyone who went to a public high school can relate to some aspect portayed here, and in the strong and well-timed performances of the talented cast. If you're mature enough to appreciate the film for its sheer comical performances, then you should really enjoy it. But if you don't like "toilet humor", then you might not find anything appealing with this one. Definitely not a date movie.

If you are a person easily offended by a film dedicated primarily to the glory of teen sex, you may well view "American Pie" as yet another in a long line of cinematic harbingers of the collapse of western civilization. If, however, you remember adolescence as essentially a period of unending coitus interruptus, you may well find yourself engrossed by this amusing, though admittedly crude, series of sexual and scatalogical gags woven around a plot involving the desperate attempts of a quartet of last semester seniors to lose their virginity on the fast approaching sexual armageddon known as "prom night."

"American Pie" gleans most of its comic energy from its outrageous examination of the crazy and innovative extremes desperately horny teens will go to in order to experience the thrill of sex in lieu of the real thing. An attractive, game cast helps to mitigate the crudity of many of their actions and the filmmakers' lighthearted tone encompasses the characters in such a cloak of affection that the audience identifies with, rather than condemns, their antics.

As meager compensation for the moralists among us, the film does heavily promote the use of condoms and comes up with even more creative prophylactics for those times when a partner is not available.

"American Pie" is certainly not for every taste and there are those who would argue that it serves a less than salutary purpose as a guide for already sex-obsessed teenagers. Be that as it may, the film provides a fair number of hearty chuckles for those of us who can find humor in a group of backward youngsters experiencing the frustration and desperation we have all, at one time, experienced.

I do have one troubling question though: why do none of these characters, whenever they are involved in a potentially compromising position, ever lock a door? The answer, I suppose, is obvious for, if they did, at least half the film's biggest laughs would become impossible to achieve. For this film, at least, such a suspension of disbelief may be a prerequisite.

Be forewarned but enjoy!

American Pie has all the ingredients of a good movie. First, the plot deals with young people in search of their first sexual experience. What could be more basic to the human condition? Second, although obviously fiction, the film has a feeling of reality capturing the awkwardness and anxiety of young people at this point in their lives. Third, it is well written and not always predictable as each young man employs his own strategy, and of course, in the real world things do not always go as planned. Fourth, the cast consists of very talented young actors playing characters which may remind the audience of people they may have known. Fifth, the film has its poignant moments. The final ingredient is this movie is hilarious. The film has one liners, sight gags, and situations that very funny. The audience, which ranged from teenagers to middle age, laughed almost constantly and out loud. CAUTION: This film is rated "R" for sexual situations and the use of alcohol by young people. If you are easily offended or sexual humor makes you uncomfortable, stay away. However, if you are not in the aforementioned, you may enjoy it. Three stars!!!