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American Pie 2
The sequel to the 1999 hit comedy American Pie, this reunites the entire cast for a summer tale of beach parties, teen angst and - of course - sex. More notable - and enjoyable - for its well-crafted laddish humour than for its romantic storylines
Not an apple pie in sight here, but American Pie 2 has more than enough sustained sex gags to remain true to the comedic spirit of its predecessor. And naturally, Jim's dad (Levy) is there to witness the most excruciating moments. The story sees the gang reunited after a year at college, the boys - Jim (Biggs), Oz (Klein), Stifler (Scott), Finch (Thomas) and Kevin (Nicholas) - are spending the summer in a lakeside house. The various girls from the first movie are scattered around for strategic appearances - Vicky (Reid) at parties, Heather (Suvari) on the phone from abroad, Michelle (Hannigan) at band camp, Nadia (Elizabeth) in Jim's bedroom, etc. It's Nadia's impending visit that sees Jim determined to improve his sexual prowess, necessitating a visit to band camp and ample opportunity for instruments to be stuck up orifices (Michelle's sex education attempts include inserting a trombone into Jim's bum). The seeds of the jokes are crass, sure, but as with the first movie, the execution is of sufficient quality to make this a cut above most of American Pie's gross-out imitators. The large ensemble cast does mean that some characters feel neglected and their subplots token, but the mainstays (geeky Jim, obnoxious Stifler, eccentric Finch) and their storylines are hugely entertaining. Stifler's hormonally-charged, misplaced arrogance; Finch's burgeoning obsession with (insert awestruck tone) "Stifler's mom!"; Jim's propensity for public humiliation... it's all there. Attempts at gender equality and romance, although distancing it further from its ancestor Porky's, seem a little token, so despite some unisex appeal this film is more at home with the boys. Fans of the original are in for a very hearty laugh. |
