Blu-ray Review: AMERICAN PIE
When I previously heard the phrase “American Pie”, I couldn’t help but get bad connotations. In my mind, it was either a) a Don McLean song that drunken twats like to sing in pubs because it’s all deep and meaningful, yeah? or b) a crude series of films concerning a bunch of teenagers trying to “get some”- a plot device so hackneyed that even Brett Ratner would politely decline directorial duties if asked to start work tomorrow on College Teens: The Devirgining.
The sharp-witted among you may have noticed that the first paragraph is in the past tense. My standpoint has changed slightly. Whilst a) continues to be a bugbear of mine, my position on b) has definitely changed. Having not seen the films for about 10 years, I confess I wasn’t looking forward to re-watching the trilogy (the less said about the numerous direct-to-video titles flying under the American Pie banner, the better) in preparation for this year’s American Reunion. However, on my recent rewatch, I was pleasantly surprised at how decent American Pie is. It’s certainly not the gross-out, completely sex-obsessed, dumb grotflick that I remembered it as (although elements of all are prevalent), but more of a self-aware laser-guided missile aimed directly at the teenage demographic. Sort of like Scream for teen comedies- not full parody, but not completely straight-faced either.
The basic plot is simple. Four teenage boys, Jim (Jason Biggs), Oz (Chris Klein), Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) and Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) make a pact to lose their virginities by prom night. That’s about it. Four guys want to get their end away. It’s hardly The Godfather, but it doesn’t need to be. American Pie is a lot smarter than you may give it credit for. It’s certainly aware of its place in the great tradition of teen movies. Fans of the genre will pick up sly references to Porky’s, The Graduate and The Breakfast Club among others. The film cuts between Jim’s misadventures, Oz’s rehabilitation from unfeeling jock to sensitive singer, Kevin’s sexual quagmire with his girlfriend Vicky (Tara Reid) and Finch’s schoolyard propaganda efforts. It works well and the film bounces along nicely until the climax at the prom.
That’s not to say American Pie is ponce heaven for chin-stroking ponderers. There’s gross-out humour abound, including the infamous apple pie scene and macho jock Stifler (Seann William-Scott) unknowingly drinking some “pale ale”. However, the film balances this out with some well-written characters and some genuine heart. Most of the jokes are of the awkward humour variety with the film even starting with a scene where Jim’s parents walk in on him watching a scrambled adult channel (ah, the pre-RedTube days). Of all the characters, Jim’s dad (Eugene Levy) is by far my favourite. He’s a well meaning, understanding, old-fashioned father who is just as uncomfortable explaining the intricacies of sex as Jim is hearing it. There’s a great moment after “the pie scene” where he and Jim are sat at the table in front of the destroyed pie and he calmly but hesitantly says to the mortified Jim: “Well, we’ll just tell your mother th-that we ate it all.”
What surprised me most about American Pie was how well the female characters were written. Normally in this sort of film, you’d expect some kind of high-fiving fratboy mentality where the guys are man-children and the women are glorified sacks of sexual organs stuffed into tight tops and miniskirts. Whilst we do have the idiot manchild main characters guffawing and farting about, it’s the women who are in control and liberated. The character of Jessica especially is a fantastic example of the film’s (I can’t believe I’m saying this about a film that has accidental jizz chugging and a whole scene involving faecal trauma) maturity. Even Alyson Hannigan’s ditzy nerd Michelle is fully in control when it comes to matters of a sexual nature.
American Pie was a huge hit when it came out and it’s not hard to see why. It’s an exaggerated view of teen life build around an all-important kernel of truth and observation. With dick jokes.
Reviewer: Ben Browne
(Re-)Release Date UK: 19th March 2012
Directed By: Paul Weitz
Cast: Jason Biggs, Chris Klein, Alyson Hannigan, Seann William Scott
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