Seann William Scott, as the ever-quotable Stifler, concurs, “I thought we were so fortunate that people liked the first two that I didn’t want to do anything that would take away from people’s enjoyment of the movies. Then, I read the script and it just ruined me because it was the funniest thing that I’d ever read.”
Finch’s off-screen alter ego, Eddie Kaye Thomas, summarizes, “It’s so rare to find a really funny script—let alone three in a series. I also think it’s rare for comedies not to assume that their audiences are idiots or childish. Our stories have the ring of recognition, like ‘Oh, man, I did that, too!’”
Herz and the filmmakers had hit upon a different twist on the their formula, but they were mindful to keep American Wedding close to its roots.
“I really think this is the funniest of the trilogy. It harkens back to the first one where there was a lot of humor and a lot of heart,” observes Moore.
Eugene Levy, back again as Jim’s unflappable Dad, agrees, “I really think this script is the strongest of the three. The comedy is relentless in this script and it’s closer to the first American Pie because it has a lot of heart. It’s not afraid to be a little bit sentimental, which I think is a good thing.”
Herz responds, “People saying this is the strongest of the three makes me feel really proud. American Pie was the first script I ever wrote, so I hope I have grown as a writer, gotten better. I want people to believe these are real characters and continue to enjoy them.”
Whether you are making a pie or a cake, creating a successful American Wedding required just the right recipe. Once again, they needed a capable chef to combine all of the on-screen ingredients. The right choice for the third installment was director Jesse Dylan.
“Jesse had a very clear vision of what this movie was, yet he allowed the actors to have the freedom to experiment,” observes Perry.
Coming in as a new director with a group of actors who have clearly established their characters can be a daunting task. But Dylan received the highest marks from everyone involved.
Biggs comments, “I think Jesse had the toughest job out of anyone involved in this movie. He had to come in and allow the actors to have some creative freedom while still guiding them in the right direction. Jesse has done a great job.”
“I think Jesse’s awesome,” observes Scott. “What really surprised me about him was how funny he is. Although, if someone’s hired to direct a comedy, you’d expect him to be funny, right? He has so many great ideas and he’s not afraid to try things to experiment.”
The director of the hit How High was thrilled to be helming the latest in the Pie series and says, “I think a lot of people would have been anxious about stepping into this job. Two hits prior to this, and now here I come to direct, right? But on the contrary, I was eager to work with this fun and talented cast, these filmmakers and crew. It was like stepping in to play lead for an awesome rock band. It’s the best environment to join a group of people working at the top.”
Movie Database
In Theaters
