A teen comedy that's worth its weight in pie.

Rating: 8/10 (10 August 1999)

After all of the hype generated about this is a "must see" movie, I finally decided to see what this movie was all about once the hype died down a little.
Boy, I'm glad I did.
This movie isn't as "disgusting" as a lot of people would have you believe. Sure, there's the opening scene, and the gut-wrenchingly funny pie scene (I knew about this, but it just doesn't compare to actually seeing this), the disgusting beer scene, and a brief nude scene, but there's a lot more to the movie than that. A lot more.
The story of four guys trying to lose their virginity before the end of high school is one that anyone who is currently in high school or has been in high school this past few decades can relate to. Sex for each of the guys means a different thing, and their individual "quests" to reach their goal are funny, could very possibly happen, and change each of the guys into something more than just a bunch of sex-starved hornballs. The tables really start to turn when a few of the guys actually start caring about their would-be conquests and other things.
I grew to really like these actors and actresses as they play their roles well, and as they grow in personality past their "pact". They're typical high school kids, like it or not.
Eugene Levy as Jim's Dad is hilarious with his dead-pan delivery and his never-ending attempts to help Jim through his current er, "phase".

Fortunately, the laughs go past just physical slap-stick humor. The one-liners are more often than not hilarious.
This movie more than reminded me of those classic '80's teen films, blending a great mix of goofiness and the awkwardness that age. No, I don't think it's like "There's Something About Mary". "Mary" was a movie that was funny just for the sake of being so. "Pie", while having its hilarious gross-out moments, also had its fair share of sincere ones. I liked the kids because they came off as actual people instead of one-joke cardboard teen stock.
I recommend American Pie to anyone who has liked a good John Hughes '80's film or who just wants to see a movie that has likeable characters and is really funny. American Pie has just become one of my new favorites.