American
Pie
Directed
by Paul Weitz
Written
by Adam Hertz
Starring
Jason Biggs, Chris Klein, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Seann William Scott, Mena
Suvari, Natasha Lyonne, Tara Reid, Alyson Hannigan, and Shannon Elizabeth
95
minutes. Rated R. Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1. 1999
What's the big deal?
That's my reaction to American Pie, a film that got an incredible
amount of hype and publicity due to the crude nature of most of the humor
in the film. Almost everyone I've spoken to who saw the film loved it,
deemed it one of the funniest things they've ever seen, and implored me
to go see it. So I did, and now, again, I have to say, what's the big deal?
This
is the heartwarming story of four friends who make a pact to get laid before
Senior Prom. Not a bad concept. Certainly a familiar one to a lot of people.
But the execution was lacking. The script fails in most places, evoking
only the smallest smile or perhaps a chuckle out of me. Most of the humor
is pretty revolting stuff -- after the huge success of There's Something
About Mary, I guess the filmmakers here decided to take it to the next
level. The 
opening
sequence features a guy drinking a beer that has, um, hair gel mixed into
it, and that's pretty tame compared to what's coming (no pun intended)
later in the film. There's this just awful 
diarrhea
sequence, there is of course the bit with the apple pie (which I think
would have been pretty damn funny had I not known about it in advance),
and there's a couple other gross-out stunts here and there that just turned
my stomach.
When
the humor isn't in regards to bodily functions, it's found in guys getting
sexually humiliated. Now, call me crazy, but I don't think a lot of teenage
guys are going to find this particularly amusing. I saw this film with
my friend Leanna, and she liked it a lot more than I did, I think because
it wasn't girls getting humiliated. Girls, actually, will find this film
a lot more entertaining than guys will, I think. Girls always enjoy watching
guys make fools of themselves. Yes, I'm generalizing. Sue me.
The acting
is okay in some places, not so okay in others. Jason Biggs is pretty good,
but the other males in the cast, especially Chris Klein, were pretty terrible.
The girls were a lot better -- Mena Suvari (American Beauty) was
convincingly
sweet, Natasha Lyonne (Slums of Beverly Hills) was hilarious, Tara
Reid (Urban Legend, Cruel Intentions) could 
have
been reading the phone book and I wouldn't have cared, and Alyson Hannigan
(TV's Buffy The Vampire Slayer) was simply brilliant. Her performance
at the film's climax (again, no pun intended) was the only place in the
film where I actually laughed out loud. It was a hilarious scene that I
refuse to ruin for you, and made seeing the film worth my time.
Directing
was so-so. Not nearly as sloppy as 10 Things I Hate About You, but
nothing to write home about, either.
This
film may be worth seeing on video, just for the Alyson Hannigan scene,
but I was pretty disappointed. It had funny bits, and some nice moments
here and there, but overall, it was a disgusting film that revels way too
much in the sexual inadequacies of teenage guys. Maybe many years from
now I can look back on this film and like it better than I do now, but
for right now, it's more sad and painful than it is funny.
But as
Brandon said, Way to go Rookie of the Year!!
Bottom line: Girls will like the way the film pokes fun at guys. Some guys
may like the gross-out humor. I was turned off by both.
My grade:
C
My advice:
Guys, whatever you do, don't see this with a date!
Get the movie
poster!
