I took my 17 year old nephew to this flick. (More
on that later.)
"Divided we're flawed and weak, but united we
ensure our sexual destinies" -- or something like
that. Four senior male buddies make a pact to lose
their respective virginities by the last of their
high school days (i.e. prom night).
It must be impossible to make a teen movie that
doesn't somehow wind up at the prom. There's some
huge film-magnet in the punch bowl or something. But
that's forgivable, because this film is bold, funny,
charming, uncomfortably honest at times, and seldom
(if ever) boring. The characters are likable, roughly
believable (or obvious caricatures) and played by apt
actors. "American Pie" is well paced. In fact, as the
end approaches, you'll want it delayed because you'll
be enjoying the movie that much. Ultimately, the peak
of a film is important and fulfilling; but it's what
leads up to the ending that makes it so. (Could that
be why they call it the climax?)
What about all this talk of sex? Inevitably,
parents are going to claim that this movie condones
teenage copulation. And, you know what? It actually
may. However, it's also likely that actual teenagers
are actually having sex. This, despite the fact that
I was not one of them. And while I think teens will
enjoy this movie, I don't condone teen intercourse.
Unless the teens are paying their own rent or
something. Still "American Pie" bent over backwards
to encourage the usage of condoms -- so that is to
its credit.
But enough about what I think. My nephew says
parents don't need to get all uppity about how movies
make teens feel or act. "There's bound to be some
film next week that has the opposite message. Hey,
they're just movies after all. People are going to do
what their going to do ... regardless." He enjoyed
the film.
We went on a Monday night at 10:10 or something --
the show sold out, filling the theater with teens who
laughed a lot (me too). There were times I couldn't
even hear the response line to a good wisecrack.
(A few days prior, my nephew attempted to see this
film with some of his 16 year old buddies. When the
attendant denied them access based on the rating, my
nephew remarked, "These (pointing at his buddies) are
exactly the people they made the movie for -- I can't
believe you won't let them in!")
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