Vulgar and entertaining!

Rating: 8/10 (23 March 2000)

Over here in the UK, we seems to have been bombarded by American teen comedies, either on TV or in Film. We wouldn't mind, but none of them seem to be that good. Of course we haven't actually made any ourselves, so we're hardly in a position to criticise, but the really sad thing is that the teen-com concept is full of potential. Finally, someone was daring enough to explore the outrageousness of lusty adolescence. American Pie was born!
Make no mistake; the main strength of this film is it's sheer vulgarity. The usual patronising moral preaching that accompanies, and spoils, so many films of this type is absent. Replacing it is a no holds barred look at teenage angst, sexual curiosity, and the art of bodily function jokes. In addition, the subject of masturbation has never been approached with such an unflinching eye!!
The young cast, all relatively unknown, offer some impressive performances. The individual honours belong to Sean W Scott, who is repulsively likeable as Stifler, even if it is nothing more than a role as the typically moronic American Jock. However, the most skillful moments of the film are provided by Jason Biggs and Eugene Levy, who offer an excellent double act as the son with strange methods of experimentation and the father, whose methods of sex education are at times equally bizarre. The sense of awkwardness as they endure their 'man to man' talks is remarkably convincing.
The film isn't consistently funny, but the half dozen side splitting moments are more than enough to keep you amused, even if you have been told of them in vivid detail prior to watching. (Like I was)
At times though, American Pie can certainly be accused of feeling a bit familiar. After all, the guys trying to get laid routine has been done a thousand times before, and some of the jokes (such as the old classic of post laxative attack panic) are hardly original, but the film does include some touches that save it from being totally predictable. For example there is the character of Finch, the mysterious member of the sex-obsessed quartet with sophisticated mannerisms, and the way the Jock element is played through Lacrosse, rather than a more obvious or traditional American sport.
The purists will no doubt, make criticisms about it's over explicitness, and other such garbage about the corruption of the young, but as usual they are looking deeper than is necessary. While you could argue that American Pie brings attention to the awkwardness, anxiousness and confusion of adolescent sexuality, it is really just an entertaining comedy, with grossness that lifts it head and shoulders above the rest.