AMERICAN PIE 2

John Denver once sang “A long, long time ago – I can still remember – how that music used to make me smile. And I knew if I had my chance – that I could make those people dance – and maybe they’d be happy, for a while”. After that, John just went on and on and on about some country and a savory snack. And do you know what? This is something that these guys do too – Director: J.B. Rogers; and Actors: Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, and Shannon Elizabeth – especially for 110 minutes in 2001.

American Pie 2 (See all Teen Comedies)

THE STORY:

After their first year at College, the lads’ from middle-American return back home, all of them bringing with them a hunger that they perpetually yearn for. Jim (Jason Biggs) pines for Nadia (Shannon Elizabeth) – whom will come back to him soon after a spell away. Chris (Chris Klein) is going to miss Heather (Mena Suvari) – whom is going to study abroad for a brief while. Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) feels awkward around Victoria (Tara Reid) – whom just wants to be friends with her old beau.  Paul (Eddie Kaye Thomas) craves for Stiflers Mother (Jennifer Coolidge) – whom is nowhere to be seen. And as for Stifler on the other hand (Seann William Scott) – well – he is still a piss-head.

Now to snap themselves out of this rut, all the lads rent a house by the beach for the summer – with the hope that this new lo-cal will rejuvenate their woes. Unfortunately, though, this fresh domicile does not really provide the closer they need – instead, they find themselves presented with one problem after another.

For Jim, he goes to a lyrical friend of his, Michelle (Alyson Hannigan), and with her, he tries to figure out what he is doing wrong with his... errr... intimate life – but alas – to no avail. For Chris, he tries to have a telephonic sexual encounter with Heather on the phone – but alas – also – to no avail. For Kevin, he just tries his best to be a bit more comfortable around Victoria on a friendly basis – but yet again – you guessed it – to no avail. For Paul, he practices tartaric medication to abate his sexual urges – but alas... errr... you know what I am going to say, right? And as for Stifler – well – strangely enough, he gets himself and the lads in a provocative situation with a couple of hopeful lesbians – and I think that I best leave it at that.

At this juncture in the lads respite, Michelle is still continuing to help Jim with his ‘sex lessons’. However, by chance, Jim injures his cock one night whilst giving in to his baser urges – causing his ‘little feller’ to be bandaged for a whole week. Also, to make matters even worse for Jim, Nadia suddenly shows up, with the promise of a ‘union’ any time soon.

Though how can Jim instigate this ‘endeavour’ if his ‘meet and two veg’ are packed in a package? Thankfully, Michelle has an idea – to instigate a ploy that both Jim and her are boyfriend and girlfriend respectively, and ‘miraculously’ break up in a weeks time, when Jim’s ‘monkey’ is stronger, and on the day of the ‘big party’.

Strangely enough, this works.    

Still, what then transpires on the day of the party is both rejuvenating and uplifting at the same time – as lovers unite – hope is found – a party is enjoyed – old story’s stay in the past – and Stiflers Mum gets her suspension checked.

In a manner of speaking.

THE REVIEW:

Now the first question most people ask about ‘American Pie 2’ is if it is better than ‘American Pie 1’. Personally speaking – no – I do not think that it is really. Well, with a film such as this one, you cannot capture the jovial spirit of the first, by revisiting old grounds and then trying to re-package it as something new. Please, do not take what I have just said as too much of a negative statement – as there is a lot of nice touches’ to this film that make it worth watching. Still, in essence, it does feel like a film by committee – as if the ‘money-men’ have taken heed of a ‘marketing survey’, and then decided to conform to its wishes.

What I mean by this; is that the makers of this film have taken a number of things that did not really work in the first film, and then tried to correct them in this one. Fair enough, I know that this may seem like a good thing to do. However, in this case, it is not – please allow me explain why: (1) They have reduced the ‘straight-men’ roles – Chris and Thomas – and used them as nothing more as a sub-plot – thus diminishing the drama element. (2) They have beefed up the comedy roles – Seann and Alyson – thus making the overall tone of the film slightly more cartoonish than before. (3) Conceptually, because of the aforementioned two points, the structure of this film is less flowing than the first one – and in places does feel slightly fragmented and skit like in fashion. And (4) The through line of ‘American Pie 2’ meanders all over the place – as the structure is impeded, and the tone is slightly too childlike.

Listen now; I do not want you to think that I do not like this movie – as I do like it a lot. I found that all the actors – especially Jason, Alyson, and Eugene – are great with what they do. Also, the message to this film – keep the past to the past and look to the future – is a very nice moralistic take on conventional ‘high school’ fare. Still, just like the first movie, the girls are treated like objects, and the overall flavour of this film does not seem to match what has come before it. Moreover, I found that some of the concluding scenes where kind predictable all in all – as it seemed that by the end of the movie, the writers started delving ‘back from the well’.

Overall, ‘American Pie 2’ may not be as good as ‘American Pie 1’, but that is not to say that it is not a good film – with generally funny moments to it and acted by a real top-notch cast.

God help us for the ‘American Pie 3’, ha!

THE RATING: B