{"id":2058,"date":"2012-05-04T11:55:44","date_gmt":"2012-05-04T11:55:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/?p=2058"},"modified":"2012-05-04T12:00:57","modified_gmt":"2012-05-04T12:00:57","slug":"american-pie-reunion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/comedy\/american-pie-reunion\/","title":{"rendered":"American Pie: Reunion ***"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The boys are back in town, looking a little older (some sporting facial hair and others possible plastic surgery), but certainly none the wiser when it comes to women. Jim (Jason Biggs), Oz (Chris Klein), Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) and Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) are still a bunch of \u2018little boys lost\u2019, only to find that they\u2019re far more mature than first thought when compared to The Stiffmeister, Stifler (Seann William Scott) who has never got away from the home town.<\/p>\n

We have as much anticipation as the boys to experience a great reunion, and predictable beginning aside to remind us of Jim\u2019s endless troubles in the bedroom department, it\u2019s rather comforting to be back in their awkward presence, and wonder at what the weekend will bring out in them all. The key to this is seeing them revert to type, which they do \u2013\u00a0exactly as any school reunion should induce a sense of comforting nostalgia.<\/p>\n

Directors Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg of Harold & Kumar<\/em> fame have all the right credentials for injecting some much needed promise into this franchise and teasing out more of the bromance of this bunch of school pals. In terms of the latter, there is a greater sense of this group\u2019s tightness in this as they grow \u2018wiser\u2019 and have each other\u2019s backs more, which is vital for the gags to work and revel in the knowing glances at all they\u2019ve experienced.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, there is never a sense of weariness at what you\u2019re watching, as the leads constantly poke fun at their \u2018by-gone\u2019 days and \u2018over-the-hill\u2019 antics: it\u2019s almost like a built-in insurance policy if some parts feel a tad repetitious with some of the set-pieces. Expect the usual puerile bodily jokes from the class fool (Jim or Stifler), and the token \u2018trousers down\u2019 kitchen moment (albeit more graphic), followed by Jim and Jim\u2019s Dad\u2019s (Eugene Levy) embarrassing father-son talk. What is nice to see is how this role reversal pans out throughout the story, allowing Levy a few gem moments to devilishly shine for the first time in this series, as well as for Jim to eventually gain some much sought after credibility among his peers.<\/p>\n

Long-suffering but ballsy Michelle (Alyson Hannigan) also returns as Jim\u2019s band camp wife, complete with trumpet moment, as do the other childhood sweethearts that trigger old emotions and feelings. It\u2019s classic textbook stuff as we watch the aging characters find solace in the old to make up for the disappointments of life\u2019s current situations. One disappointment is there is not more of Finch in the story, and his mystery reveal is not as punchy as anticipated either. As expected, there are plenty of life morals to be learned \u2013\u00a0and a surprising new career move for Stifler to delight at. However, the best gag of the lot is another Stifler triumph, a play on the \u2018Stifler\u2019s Mum\u2019 joke that will brings a little hand punch cheer for fans.<\/p>\n

The jokes are old and the guys are older, but it\u2019s big-hearted entertainment that does need some previous character investment to catch all the nods \u2013\u00a0like being in the presence of any longstanding group of friends. There are still some decent big laughs at the whole farce of trying to stay young and hip \u2013\u00a0something we can all relate to. Hopefully, Reunion<\/em> will mark a commendable end to the series and another is not dragged out, after all, seeing Jim trying to get some pleasure in an old folks\u2019 home would be seriously overstepping the mark!<\/p>\n

3\/5 stars<\/strong><\/p>\n

By @FilmGazer<\/p>\n

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