American Reunion: A Fond Farewell to Characters We Know and Love…and Hate

Directors Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg(best known for the recent Harold and Kumar films) had now been tasked with potentially ending a film-comedy franchise that would require as much care as comedy. American Reunion, the fourth and likely final installment in the America Pie saga, was by most objective accounts a relatively mediocre film; however, Hurwitz and Schlossberg were able to capture enough of the original magic to make the film satisfying, and ultimately preserve fond memories.

Premise: The old American Pie gang reunites to have one last hurrah and to reflect on how much has changed. Result: Overall, an objectively mediocre film but with enough focus on nostalgia to keep fans happy.

American Reunion is set in a world more than ten years after the original film, but might as well have been filmed lifetimes away.  The cast of clowns are now married, raising children, and working; this is a far cry from the virginal, misguided calamities of their former lives.  While each is supposedly living the American Dream, it is safe to say that each is in some way dissatisfied with his or her life.  Luckily for each, the opportunity to relive their high school antics at a ten year high school reunion (it’s actually thirteen years, but even the screen writers anticipated that joke!) is just too good to resist.

Amidst this not so fresh plot are all the not-so fresh antics that we have come to appreciate in these films: the botched masturbation scenes, the awkward Jim  (Jason Biggs) and his Dad (Eugene Levy) conversations, or the Steve Stifler (Seann William Scott) rude epithets. Of course, there are a few new jokes now centered on their lives such as Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) and his new life as a house wife or Heather (Mena Suvari) and her boyfriend Dr. Ron (Jay Harrington) or “DRON” as he calls himself (yup, he really does) or the tongue-in-cheek relationship between Mia (Katrina Bowden) and “TVs worst sportscaster slash Dancing with the Stars knock-off ever” Oz (Chris Klein).

The central theme, of course, rests on how much has changed and yet how much has stayed the same.  And as each character wrestles with this reality, the notion of how happy they are and what are they willing to do to make their lives work out settle onto the film like a coat of synthetic snow, begging to feel fresh but never moving past stale.

There are several different plotlines that meander and intersect and somehow manage, despite it being thirteen long years later, to more than just slightly resemble the shenanigans of old.  Jim and Michelle (Alyson Hannigan) just can’t seem to reignite that old sexual flame that made them famous in the original film; add a desperate teenager girl (former babysitee) and you have the makings of an adulterous mess!  Enter old flames Kevin and Vicky (Tara Reid), who may have no trouble igniting that spark, especially when booze is involved.  Or Oz and Heather, who may regret the breakup of old, since both seem to want nothing more than boring.  Or Jim’s Dad, who is still grieving from the passing of his wife, but who needs to find himself again to be happy. And of course there’s Stifler, whose life has finally come full circle.

There are also the random cameos that although not particularly relevant to the film, are wonderful for those fans trying to get as much closure as enjoyment.  Audiences familiar with the previous films will hop with excitement at each random encounter, some which make more sense than others (the MILF episode was a train wreck.)

As the film progresses, Hurwitz and Schlossberg do a good job of pacing as each scene is ripe with at least a few opportunities for laughter.  This pacing allows the film to keep interest throughout, a feat too many sequels do not accomplish. While a few jokes may fall flat or be out-right cringe inducing, there are just as many that force us to crack a smile. Fortunately, not only are there resolutions that won’t spoil our nostalgia, but better, a few that take the stories to places we never expected them to go – with great results.

The acting in the film has no real impact on the overall enjoyment since it is what you have come to expect from this cast; largely, it is iteration, in some cases with jokes that are just farther over the top than in episodes before.  Of course, this should not detract from the performances; everyone is still quite amusing and fall comfortably back into character as if this were truly the people they are in real life – a good sign for a filmgoer.

Overall, this film is mainly for those who have seen the past films.  It is the old girlfriend/boyfriend we have come to recall fondly when times are tough; we smile at past antics and memories we have stored and believe that this film franchise really does hold a special place in our hearts.  But this film closes the book rather successfully on these characters, giving us what we longed for, but just enough to keep us from coming back.

Rating: 7- A refreshing Champagne that a cute bartender comp’d you!