American Pie Review by Thom (5 Stars)

American Pie Review by Thom (5 Stars) | MatchFlick

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Movie Details

All Movie Info

Directed By
Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz

Written By:
Adam Herz

Cast:
Jason Biggs, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Chris Owen, Chris Klein, Natasha Lyonne, Tara Reid, Mena Suvari, Alyson Hannigan, Shannon Elizabeth, Eugene Levy, Seann William Scott, Jennifer Coolidge, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Lawrence Pressman, John Cho, James DeBello

American Pie (1999)

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Movie Review by Thom
April 25th, 2008

Pie In The Sky

Favorite Movie Quote: "Suck me, beautiful!"

As American Pie ages, I think that it'll be viewed as even better than it was originally received. Referenced as the Porky's of this generation, I think American Pie was sold short on its brilliance, being widely acknowledged only for its gags (pun intended) and comedic stylings of the Stiff-miester, Steve Stifler (Seann William Scott, in a career-making role). Like other great timeless comedies such as Back To The Future, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Sixteen Candles (among others), there's an actual story amidst the mayhem that draws interest long after the gags have lost their verve.

American Pie features the exploits of four sexually clueless high school guys who band together in an effort to slay each individual's virginity by the time they graduate. There's Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas), who's stranded on third base with girlfriend Vicki (a newly-minted Tara Reid), Awz (Chris Klein), the sensitive guy hiding behind a faux layer of misogyny, Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas), the over-thinking sophisticate, and Jim (Jason Biggs), who, like most teenaged boys, has built up sex to the end all be all of life as he knows it.

Certainly with a premise such as the above, one would fully expect to be heading into a meaningless romp of dick and fart jokes - which are here in spades - but American Pie elevates the bar in two ways. First, it turns the objectifying male ego on its head when it's Jim that must perform the strip-tease for Nadia (Shannon Elizabeth) being broadcast to the school directory, and second when at least two of our beaver banditos ride off into the sunset having realized that women have more and better to offer than just a roll in the hay.

American Pie is also the directorial debut of Paul Weitz (with brother Chris), who deserves the lion's share of credit for getting great performances out of a cast that has more or less faded into obscurity with a collective series of crappier films, roles, and performances. American Pie was a lightning strike that led to two progressively lesser sequels, neither of them holding my attention for more than five minutes after I left the theater.

If only all comedies could reach such American Pie in the sky aspirations, there would be not only more laughter, but more than just laughter.

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	Tim Apr 25, 2008 8:52 PM
I agree I can never watch this one too many times....I love when Jim is dancing for Nadia thats one of my favorite parts. I also really liked American Wedding, more then part two.....the dance off with Stifler and Bear (who played Boris in True Romance) was just classic.

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