Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Buried way, way down deep amidst the profanity, lewdness, nudity, underage drinking, drug use, and a pervasive sexual undertow, "American Reunion" hides a few genuinely funny moments and even a squashed attempt at depicting some of the challenges of moving on from the "glory days," or for some, the trauma of high school. But hey, who am I kidding? For those familiar with the preceding films, any expectation of something restrained or meaningful is delusional.
All the boys are back — Jim, Kevin, Oz, Finch and yes, Stiffler — all heading for their 13-year high school reunion. Each brings with them not only the left over baggage from East Great Falls High, but the highs and lows of their young adult lives.
Any expectation of something restrained or meaningful is delusional.
Thinking they can relive "the good times," one of the major plot lines has Jim, the Jason Biggs character, dealing with a less than satisfying sex life with his band camp flame and now wife, Michelle, again played by Alyson Hannigan.
Determined to make this reunion weekend a time of renewed passion, Jim is sidetracked by little Kara, the next-door- neighbor he used to babysit. Ali Corbin stars as Kara who invites Jim to her 18th birthday party and confesses to a still smoldering crush. What follows provides the majority of the underage drinking and female nudity. Male nudity, drug use, extreme lewdness and off-the charts profanity are reserved for the more "mature" folks in other sub- plots where an amazing amount of angst is being ironed out.
(By watching this movie), I grossly misspent two hours of my life that I can never reclaim.
The most familiar line in the film is, "This isn't what it seems; let me explain." Every character seems to be using this line to extract themselves from the bizarre, inexplicable messes they get themselves into.
I have never been a fan of this series and honestly, this is the first American Pie film I've seen all the way through. What was I thinking? I could offer the excuse that this was the only movie my schedule allowed for review this week, and that's true. But still, I grossly misspent two hours of my life that I can never reclaim.
"American Reunion" is a turkey. It's rated R for about everything you can imagine.
