AMERICAN REUNION

AMERICAN REUNION

Back in 1999, Paul J. Weitz gave us "American Pie", the quintessential coming of age movie - a bit bawdier than "Porky's" and "Risky Business" (the coming-of-age movie standard) but not nearly as reckless as "Project X".

In fact, "Porky's" in particular is the reason why "Project X" and other COA films came to fruition. "Porky's" had two sequels that followed within two years of the original and the boys still in high school. "Risky Business" stood alone as it's main star, Tom Cruise" went on to other projects.

Some things are better left alone. No one really wants to see a "Superbad 2" at this late stage of the game; those guys are adults and have moved on.

That was not the thinking with the "American Pie" franchise. After the second one, "American Pie" which followe dthe boys in their first year of college, we assumed that was the last of them.

But that was not the thinking over at Universal, the folks who scored a touch down with "The Lorax" and "Safe House" and are licking their wounds with "Wanderlust" and "Big Miracle". Until "Battleship" is released in late May and "Snow White and the Huntsman" in June... they need to occupy theater space.

Ergo "American Reunion" is on tap. This picks up [drum roll] 13 years later with the "boys" now grown and into their various livelihoods. Jim Levenstein (Jason Biggs) is married to Michelle (Alyson Hannigan), Oz (Chris Klein) is a celebrity with a hot girlfriend Mia (Katrina Bowden), Finch(Eddie Kaye Thomas) is an adventurer apparently with no ties, Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) is happily married though totally whipped, and Stiffler (Seann William Scott) works as a temp for an obnoxious boss.

They have all returned for the class reunion with Stiffler having never left since he still lives with hie mother. Jim and Michelle have a child but aren't having sex anymore which has cause a rift in their marriage. They somewhat turn to his dad (Eugene Levy) who gives him pretty mush the same bad advice he gave 13 years ago.

Oz runs into his old flame Heather (Mena Suvari) and suddenly wants to dump his hot model girl friend for her. Kevin meets a hot girl and suddenly questions his own loyalty to his wife. Finch gets involved with Selena (Dania Ramirez) who really is into whatever his next adventure is... though she's in for a big predictable surprise.

Stiffler, who remains somewhat funny, throws a party as usual.

There are the usual black muscular homosexual joke, the Asian homosexual joke, horny mother gags. In other words nothing new.

And that is singularly the biggest problem. Does anyone care what these guys are doing now? Does anyone care if these guys are having sex issues still?

It's not the "American Union" is bad, it is just at a point that we really don't care. Don't care to the point when it is un-funny. The only really funny part is at the very, very end involving Eugene Levy.

"American Reunion" is a film that just has been passed by every other coming-of-age film. And do we really want to see a bunch of grown men still coming of age? No! -- GEOFF BURTON

GEOFF BURTON

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