Raunchy, silly, poor excuse of a movie, but entertaining in spots.

Rating: Null/10 (17 February 2002)

I saw "American Pie" in July '99 when it first came to the theater, something I rarely do anymore with DVD and "home theater" at my disposal. Anyway, I remember clearly, when the lights went on at the end a young lady looked around and told her boyfriend, "Look at all the old people in here." I was one of "the old people." This week my wife and I saw the highly mutilated version, sanitized for TV, and it is only a shadow of the real film.
Simple plot - 4 friends make a pact to lose their virginity before graduation from high school. That thin thread motivates all the situations that follow. The movie is bad because it depicts "SEX" as a somewhat frivolous activity that all boys, and many girls, spend much of their free time thinking about. That's my real gripe about films like this, it cheapens relationships and gives already confused teenagers and young adults more motivation for immoral behavior.
Still, there are a few genuinely funny scenes. My favorite is the extra-powerful laxative that results in the kid going quickly, but into the girls' restroom. The internet video of "Nadia" changing and getting sexy in the boy's room. The "sex talks" between son and father. The "contaminated" beer on the nightstand. Mom and dad coming into his room while we was getting off on watching scrambled porn on TV.
There are a few sweet moments at the end, however the film overall has a very flawed message and in a generous mood I rate it "4" of 10.