American Pie Review

by Frankie Paiva (swpstke AT aol DOT com)
July 19th, 1999

American Pie (R) ** 1/2
Starring Jason Biggs, Thomas Ian Nicholas
Directed by Paul Weitz
A Review by Frankie Paiva

First of all, let me explain why this movie will do so well. Should I go see a terrorist thriller or see a movie where a boy gets freaky with some apple pie? Should I see a western action movie where I see Salma Hayek bear her rear, or a movie where a foreign exchange student bears her enlarged chest?

American Pie is like this in many ways, possibly the most outrageous movie this year, it has several plot holes, but other good stuff to pull itself out of them. Jim, (Biggs) Finch, (Eddie Kay Thomas) Kevin, (Ian Nicholas) and Oz (Chris Klein) vow not to keep their penises "flaccid and unused" and thus they begin their conquets to end their virginity. Jim goes after a foreign exchange student (Shannon Elizabeth) and broadcasts his experiences over the internet. Finch has Jessica (Natasha Lyonne) spread rumors about how great he was in bed. Oz tries to score on the girls in the choir by putting on a sensitive side that he ends up liking, and Kevin's having trouble with the "l" word.

But what American Pie really does is assualt us with countless sexual gags and dialog that becomes overwhelming. Whereas, There's Something About Mary (obviously a major inspiration) centered on love and romance (no matter how sick and twisted it may be) this attacks us with the same stuff over, and over, until it decides in it's final minutes to change. Yes, this change comes way too late and it came off to me as an easy way to end the film. American Pie's message is that sex isn't everything...but if that's true...what was all the 80-minute masturbation, oral sex, and porno magazines about?

A Review by Frankie Paiva
The 12 Year-Old Movie Reviewer
E-Mail me at [email protected]

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