"American Wedding" - Comedic Bliss
There's nothing more beautiful and warming as a
wedding. Add in a pristine cliff top site, best
friends that come together, and decorum worthy of
a presidential inauguration, and you'll have a
day that will be unforgettable. But what may be
even more unforgettable are the struggles to make
that magical day happen.
Following in the hilarious footsteps of the two
previous "American Pie" films is this latest
coming-of-age comedy. "American Wedding"
continues the funny misadventures of Jim (Jason
Biggs), our lovable but sometimes hapless hero.
After dating his oddball sweetheart, Michelle
(Alyson Hanigan) for some time, he fees ready to
propose while dining at an elegant restaurant.
But it's a long journey from his dining room
table to the wedding alter. In fact, in a funny
opening sequence that sets the stage for future
ribald antics, Jim barely manages to get out of
his seat to propose. Well, you have to see it to
understand that reference.
It's nice to see most of the "American" gang
re-unite, although there are some notable
characters that are missing here, including
Shannon Elizabeth, Mena Suvari, Chris Klein, and
Tara Reid. For us who have seen the other two
films, coming to this one is like being a part of
a goofy family reunion. But even if you
overlooked both "Pie" films, the silly situations
that Jim somehow falls into will surely produce a
couple of laughs.
Yet, the overall level of comedy and energy
doesn't seem as robust as the first two films.
It's not that the potential for hilarity isn't
there. There is a brilliant scene involving a
bachelor's party at the home of the bride's
parents. The participants erroneously believe
that the mom and dad aren't going to be home that
night. The ensuing mayhem is the highlight of
the film.
The film is buoyed by the boyish nervousness of
our groom. You kind of feel that he could be
struck by lightning at any moment. He has that
underdog persona that you want to root for.
Meanwhile, I still say "Hail Stifler!" for his
(Seann William Scott) frat boy enthusiasm. Or,
perhaps he just has something stuck up his
you-know-what. He's the engine that mercilessly
puts the gang on a collision course with
disaster. Crude, rude and libidinous, no scheme
or practical joke is too demented for him.
Oddly, the rest of the cast seems to be a bit
subdued. There are too few opportunities for
them to get involved. And it seemed that if
Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) were written out of
the script, no one would really even notice. In
the end, after the preparations are completed and
after the vows are exchanged, you'll find that
the experience was somewhat uneven although still
a happy occasion. I'm looking forward to seeing
them reunite again in what would probably be
called "American Family."
Grade: B
S: 3 out of 3
L: 3 out of 3
V: 0 out of 3
==========
X-RAMR-ID: 35423
X-Language: en
X-RT-ReviewID: 1183787
X-RT-TitleID: 1124446
X-RT-AuthorID: 1370
X-RT-RatingText: B
NOTE: This review was posted on the usenet
to the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup.
Mooviees.com accepts no responsibility for the contents of the review.
Unless stated otherwise, the copyright belongs to the author.
Movie Database
In Theaters
