American Reunion: A Raunchier Return

If you are old enough to remember the 90's, graduated high school before the new millennium, and can forget the two disasters American Pie 2 and American Wedding, I recommend seeing American Reunion. The content is intended for a mature audience and, in my opinion, is funnier if you can sympathize with the adult issues facing the main characters who are now turning thirty.  

In theaters now, American Reunion focuses on the unlikely thirteen year high school reunion of the kids from East Great Falls High School. Jim, 'Oz', Kevin, Finch and 'The Stiffmiester' are all back to catch up and deal with the realities of becoming an adult. Jim, now married to Michelle ("Remember that time in band camp") is struggling to rekindle his marriage after the birth of their first child. Oz is learning how to live a west coast life with Midwest values. Kevin is deciding if watching The Next Top Model with his wife is truly marital bliss and Paul is still searching for his true love (besides Stiffler's mom, of course). The character who drives the story and the laughs in American Reunion is Steven Stiffler, aka "The Stiffmeister". The writer and director correctly understood that Stiffler was the most compelling character from the first movie and the most believable as a guy who wants to and needs to help "the guys" relive the glory days. The movie is filled with raunchy humor and in some ways it is more explicit then the previous 3 movies in the American Pie series. Expect a lot of swearing and a lot of nudity. This is not for kids or the faint of heart.

The presence of all the main characters plus cameo appearances by nearly everyone else from the first movie (Sherminator, Nadia, MILF Guy 1 and 2) in the context of a common story of a group of thirty year olds who are nostalgic for the "good ole days" of high school is what makes American Reunion a success where American Pie 2 and American Wedding failed. American Reunion adeptly avoids the trap of simply being a remake of the original while at the same time not forgetting to include the laughs and gags that were so funny thirteen years ago.  

The final cut: American Reunion is a good comedy that is intended for and should be seen by adult fans of the original American Pie. If you are looking for a night out and a good laugh I recommend seeing it, but it is also a movie that you can wait for on DVD and be just fine. It was a good time and reminded me of all the laughs we had thirteen years ago with the students of East Great Falls High.

Grade: B

Did you see American Reunion? What is your opinion? Leave your comments to help others see the heroes and avoid the zeros.