American Reunion

When I say that American Reunion, the fourth installment in the hugely popular American Pie franchise, has all the laughs of the first three pieces, I mean all the laughs.  Unfortunately, this film was one long “hey, remember this?” joke.

Following the old gang’s thirteen-year reunion (the high school slipped up and forgot the ten-year), American Reunion showcases the ups and downs that occur after high school.  Some marry and have kids, others move on to high-end careers, and the rest simply refuse to move on. Either way, the story is chock full of nostalgia that seems to drive the movie business these days. Who needs an original story line when you have out-dated, once popular catch phrases?

The film wasn’t a total waste—Eugene Levy as Jim’s dad and Seann William Scott as Stiffler made for some great laughs.  There was plenty of nudity to satisfy your inner frat boy, and one cannot overlook the all-important awkward masturbation scene (without which no American Pie movie is complete).

Reunion lacked any originality whatsoever, making it difficult to care about the characters I once loved as an adolescent. Biggs and Hannigan still have decent chemistry, and the lovely and brilliant Jennifer Coolidge knocks it out of the park as the infamous Stiffler’s mom, but the movie as a whole failed to land with the audience.

I wouldn’t encourage you to see this in theatres—maybe rent it with some greasy fast food and beer on a night when you have nothing else planned and need an excuse to turn off your brain for a few hours.