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Proving
that you never do forget your first piece: American Pie
2
by
Christian De Matteo
Super
Having watched American
Pie again only a few days before, I went to AP2 with zero hopes, expectations and even desires…okay, I desired
another naked Nadia scene, but that was all.
(And I was denied, dammit…but placated with
topless, kissing, pseudo-lesbians!)
I figured, if I got a Scary
Movie 2 type of sequel, that would have to be good
enough. I
didn’t think they could top or even come close to the
genius of the first film.
Well, no, they did not top the first but they
certainly came damn close.
I laughed hysterically through a good 90% of the
movie, usually so hard with the rest of the theater that
I can’t wait to see it again because I missed lines.
This was by far, the best strictly comedy
experience I’ve had in a theater, possibly since O Brother Where Art Thou?. Never
are comedies this painfully funny anymore.
What made the movie excellent is some very, very
smart thinking on the part of the writer and director.
While most sequels now are unfortunately simple
rehashes of the first movie minus the intelligence, or,
the opposite, over-thought attempts to redo the first
movie minus the fun, AP2
picks up perfectly where American
Pie left off, remembering to develop its characters
appropriately for the extra year of life and college
they now have under their belts, while holding onto the
basic character traits that we got to love them for.
Sure I have some complaints.
I wish the girls had been as prominently featured
as the guys were; I wish Oz and Kev had been given more
to do; I wish Mena Suvari had been given more than a
pop-in/pop-out role.
But these are not damning complaints at all,
because I see that they did what they needed to in order
to create a worthy sequel.
Firstly, they brilliantly handled everyone’s
favorite character: Jim’s Dad.
My concern had been that he would be overused
after his surprise popularity (not really a surprise for
Eugene Levy fans), making a caricature out of him.
Much to my surprise, Jim’s Dad is handled
perfectly, never used out of character, or for anything
too outrageous, and he is a pure joy to watch.
Secondly… well, the MILF guys are back, and with
bigger parts. And
how can that not make you happy.
You gotta love the MILF guys.
Thirdly, while jokes from the first are frequently
referenced, and a good deal of self-mocking goes on, it
does not rely on old jokes for the majority of the
movie’s gags. It
uses them as a stepping-stone to once again go off the
deep end, but not at all in the same pools.
(Watch for the one subtle appearance of the
Jim’s first love, the apple pie.)
Fourthly, Stifler is given a bigger part, and forgive
me, but watching Seann William Scott in any role at all
cracks me up. As
I said in my praiseful Evolution
review, he has an uncanny ability to make even bad or
stupid lines come out as hysterical.
And no matter what anyone says, I can easily see
him in very serious roles in the not too distant future.
Fifthly: The Sherminator. Complete
this time with the full on preview-esque dialogue,
“I’m a sophisticated sex robot sent back in time to
change the future for one lucky lady,” and—this made
my night—the Terminator music! Just another piece of brilliance in the flick.
Sixthly and finally, there’s Finch.
I think Finch is one of the very coolest
characters in the first movie, and his character
development in this movie is brilliant.
Now, officially “The Graduate,” he enters
more sexually accomplished but still pining over his own
first piece, Stiffler’s Mom.
And in oh-so-Finch style, he’s been in constant
Tantric training, readying himself for their next
interlude. Frickin’
Great.
And so, despite my few complaints, most of which
could be rectified in yet another well-handled sequel, I
loved this movie, and enjoyed it like I haven’t
enjoyed a big studio flick all summer.
Good job guys. And
just like my first piece, I’ve happily gone back for
seconds and will shortly be demanding thirds.
And Fourths.
And fifths….
Oh… and another thing: American Pie was the first movie in years to make good comedic use
of a monkey. Watch
for a subtle and fantastic reprise of that comedic
brilliance.
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