Australian Penthouse

Director: Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg
Stars: Jason Biggs, Chris Klein, Thomas Ian Nichols, Seann William Scott, Eddie Kaye Thomas
Universal Pictures

IT has been over a dozen years since moviegoers tasted their first slice of American Pie, the flick that helped reinvigorate the ailing teen comedy genre. With a rawer edge and often embarrassingly honest look at the trails and tribulations of a crew of four best mates attempting to lose their virginity it was a surprise hit garnering several sequels with the core cast.

With each attempt to regain its former glory the franchise’s focus moved further and further away from the four lads (and Stifler), instead concentrating on their lady counterparts. Each iteration led to a drop in popularity, production values and box office earnings with the last few offerings the direct to DVD variety.

You could be forgiven for walking into American Pie: Reunion with low expectations. Hapless lead Jim (Jason Biggs) has made the transition over the series from frustrated virgin to horny college student to doting husband. Thankfully the film forgoes the often painfully unfunny transition into fatherhood and instead goes back to its roots as the group gear up for their high school reunion.

The old school chemistry between Jim, now superstar sportscaster Oz (Klein), house husband Kevin (Nicholas), misfit Finch (Thomas) and holding on to the glory days Stifler (Scott) still works with each of the crew slipping into their roles like a comfy old pair of shoes. Jim still manages to get himself into all manner of awkward situations, Oz is still looking for love, Kevin is still trying to find his place in life, Finch is still cultivating the man of mystery persona and Stifler is, well, Stifler.

With the focus squarely on the five friends hilarity ensues with some priceless moments, as always, coming from Eugene Levy as Jim’s Dad. It hits all the right notes and surprisingly is almost as funny as the original film. The hotness factor has increased exponentially with the addition of Katrina Bowden and Dania Ramirez as well as newcomer Ali Cobrin to the fold as well as some absolutely spot on cameos from franchise regulars including a magnificent porn moustache adorned John Cho reprising his role as one of the “MILF” guys.

American Pie: Reunion will make you laugh out loud, drop your jaw in shock, dry retch at its grossness, shake your head in disbelief and still somehow manages to have its own sense of charm, much like the original. Who says you can’t revisit the glory days? The boys are back.

American Pie: Reunion is in cinemas now

Review: Dave Kozicki