American Reunion (2012)
So many movies I want to see in the theater and I get dragged to this by my 14 year old daughter and her friend that want to see this thing. It is rated R for every subject you can think of short of bloodshed and they have to be accompanied by a guardian and I'm up. Dang.
So, I go into this with super low expecations.
I read this is the 4th in the series, the first being 1999's American Pie, followed by American Pie 2, which I hated as much of the dialogue was of the "remember how funny we were in the last movie" variety rather than having really good humor of its own. A movie based upon a reunion of these High School friends and lovers from 13 years ago was bound to be even more of that sort of thing.
And it is to an extent.
The principals from the original cast are back: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1605630/
Jason Biggs and Alyson Hannigan are married with child and going through typical new parent frustrations. Chris Klein still pines for Mena Suvari, Eddie Kaye Thomas still busts Seann Willliam Scott's balls as he lost his virginity to Stiffler's mom (Jennifer Coolidge). Thomas Ian Nicholas still has the wierdest, saddest relationship with Tara Reid (they looked positively bummed out to be losing their virginity to each other in the 1st movie, like they'd been drafted to the cause and they still seem pained to be anywhere near each other now). And Eugene Levy is still Jason Bigg's dad who says gross and inappropriate things to his own son. Other related characters from the first movie also appear. There are some new characters, including a girl who was likely 5 when the Pie Schtupper was babysitting her: now, 13 years later, 18 and eager to lose her virginity.
You don't go to one of these movies to see Hamlet. With any luck, it will have some gross out humor, gratuitous nudity and hijinks of its own, rather than spend 90 minutes talking about the past.
And that's where I can write that this had some pleasant surprises for me. It did have its own, not recycled, gross out humor, gratuitous nudity and hinjinks. Yes, I spent a lot of time cringing and feeling embarrassed to be watching this drek, but it also had some genuine, not forced, laughs to it. I dare write that, during the end credits, there is a scene that should take its place up there with the diner fake orgasm scene in "When Harry Met Sally" in our collective culture. Actually, it is better as I believe it, where as, I thought Sally was acting way out of character.
I can't write that you should go out and see this movie. It isn't really good. But it isn't as bad as I feared either. If you get dragged to this thing, you need not sneak in a kindle book to read while it is on.
Now if I can get my kid to see 21 Jump street with me...
So many movies I want to see in the theater and I get dragged to this by my 14 year old daughter and her friend that want to see this thing. It is rated R for every subject you can think of short of bloodshed and they have to be accompanied by a guardian and I'm up. Dang.
So, I go into this with super low expecations.
I read this is the 4th in the series, the first being 1999's American Pie, followed by American Pie 2, which I hated as much of the dialogue was of the "remember how funny we were in the last movie" variety rather than having really good humor of its own. A movie based upon a reunion of these High School friends and lovers from 13 years ago was bound to be even more of that sort of thing.
And it is to an extent.
The principals from the original cast are back: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1605630/
Jason Biggs and Alyson Hannigan are married with child and going through typical new parent frustrations. Chris Klein still pines for Mena Suvari, Eddie Kaye Thomas still busts Seann Willliam Scott's balls as he lost his virginity to Stiffler's mom (Jennifer Coolidge). Thomas Ian Nicholas still has the wierdest, saddest relationship with Tara Reid (they looked positively bummed out to be losing their virginity to each other in the 1st movie, like they'd been drafted to the cause and they still seem pained to be anywhere near each other now). And Eugene Levy is still Jason Bigg's dad who says gross and inappropriate things to his own son. Other related characters from the first movie also appear. There are some new characters, including a girl who was likely 5 when the Pie Schtupper was babysitting her: now, 13 years later, 18 and eager to lose her virginity.
You don't go to one of these movies to see Hamlet. With any luck, it will have some gross out humor, gratuitous nudity and hijinks of its own, rather than spend 90 minutes talking about the past.
And that's where I can write that this had some pleasant surprises for me. It did have its own, not recycled, gross out humor, gratuitous nudity and hinjinks. Yes, I spent a lot of time cringing and feeling embarrassed to be watching this drek, but it also had some genuine, not forced, laughs to it. I dare write that, during the end credits, there is a scene that should take its place up there with the diner fake orgasm scene in "When Harry Met Sally" in our collective culture. Actually, it is better as I believe it, where as, I thought Sally was acting way out of character.
I can't write that you should go out and see this movie. It isn't really good. But it isn't as bad as I feared either. If you get dragged to this thing, you need not sneak in a kindle book to read while it is on.
Now if I can get my kid to see 21 Jump street with me...
