Review of American Reunion (2012) by Brett C — 09 Dec 2014

Review In A Nutshell:

Sequels have been bread and butter of Hollywood, but every once in a while, a sequel would appear and actually deliver the film a sense of justice. American Reunion, at least to me, is a necessary sequel; it allows characters that we have known and love from before be seen in a different light, show that they have grown from their experiences, while at the same time find comfort in the memories and remnants of their past. American Reunion does not convert any non-believers of the franchise, as its sole purpose is for those who have adored these characters from the beginning, like I have. This film also doesn't attempt to become more than what it is, it doesn't act as a reboot of a broken franchise, instead it plays out like an epilogue to gain a sense of closure of the past and possibly make new ways for something new.

The film explores similar tropes of the reunion story; nostalgia, regret, missed opportunities, unmet expectations, friendship, first loves, and personal growth are all touched on in this film and it does so with such elegance through its lovable characters that it is difficult not to be engaged by this gathering. The franchise finally treats its characters with respect and direction that was found in the first film, showing that these are people with real issues and that they embarrassing mistakes because that is exactly how life is; the film does not treat them like shit *cough cough* American Pie 2 *cough cough* and places them in situations to get a quick chuckle from its audience. The third film in the series may be an improvement from the sophomore film, but it still lacked many of the positive qualities that made the first film, so damn impressive.

Tenderness, sentimentality, and relationships; these were aspects that were focused or used in the first American Pie film and through those; we end up caring about its characters and taking them seriously. The adorable sentimentality returns when Heather and Oz crosses paths again, catching the audience up with the gaps that were left in the previous film. The sense of nostalgia is found in the conversations between Vicky and Kevin, giving us a glimpse on where they stand in their love life and whether or not the window of return is still open. Jim and Michelle explores the idea behind an established marriage, where spark between the couple has started to fade, showing almost to none emotional and physical intimacy; and Jim constantly being tested in his values of fidelity, with a younger individual finds attraction for a man who feels like he has passed his prime. The film handles all of this light-toned content so damn well that it never felt like we were watching a completely different film; the raunchy humour is still there but the writers have toned it down and replacing it with nostalgic references that work just as effectively, but I did have a slight problem in regards to character development being stunted or reversed with the Stifler character, who has definitely grown from the previous film. The film by no means tarnish the character completely and use him only for dirty low-brow humour as there are instances in this film where the audiences are nudged to take this character seriously, but it would have been nice if the writers were to incorporate his previous growth.

The icing on the delicious cake though is the usage of Jim's Dad, who finally becomes an important character and his relationship with his son has finally been recognised and appreciated. There is a sense of melancholy to the way the character has been written, due to the passing of his wife and the writers do a wonderful job in weaving this with the film's comedy; using his awkwardness and out of place reactions to brighten many of the film's scenes.

It was great to see the cast again be in fine tune with their characters, bringing the same feelings that I had when watching the original film. Though it isn't as perfect as I wanted it to be, as cast members like Tara Reid seem to have lost a bit of that flavour that she brought in the first two films; or maybe it was the way the writers have used her in the film. Alyson Hannigan comes back displaying that sense of growth in her character that was prominently found in American Wedding, though it would have been nice if the film did a lot more with the wild side that brilliantly defined her in the first two films. Chemistry between the couples are still strong here with Chris Klein and Mena Suvari still able to bring that sweetness to their characters; and conversations between Thomas Ian Nicholas and Tara Reid do still show a little bit of spark that made dominated many of the scenes in the first film. The film also brings new cast members to the list, with Dania Ramirez playing a love interest for Eddie Kaye Thomas, Katrina Bowden utilising her sexuality to show a sense of dominance and free-spirit in comparison to Chris Klein's character, and the adorable Ali Cobrin who brings a youthful charm to the mix. American Reunion will not turn any heads for its performance, but fans of the series would get that guilty pleasure feeling in watching these characters interact, possibly seeing fragments of our own selves in these characters both present and the past.

American Reunion is not a perfect comedy, and neither is the original, but it brings enough to make it stand out and let others take notice. American Reunion is a sequel that ticks almost all of the boxes.