IfÂ Â you have a hankering for an awkward comedy with PAINFULLY predictable jokes and dialogue…American Reunion fits the bill. Equipped with the same tired stereotypes from the first movie yet none of the newness or development to necessary to encourage an audience to care about the characters. Â Along side of overdone foul language, which loses its effectiveness and humor after extraneous usage, is the utilization shock humor. Â We are an intelligent audience (or at least some of us are). When you set up a disgusting event for shock, part of its effectiveness is the audience’s ability to imagine the outcome, we don’t need to see it! Â I must applaud the somewhat equal opportunity for nudity, however, the male nudity is for shock and female for sex appeal. Â If none of this is appealing to you, perhaps if you find sitting in a dark theater stoically and listening to preteens laugh before the joke had fully landed…be my guest. Â Shock humor is not intelligent humor. All the more ineffective when a prepubescent could see it coming (no pun intended).

Â However, it’s not all horrible. There of course are a few heart defrosting moments. Albeit they are fleeting and also predictable. Â The man who almost cheats on his wife, the new parents that can’t remember how to be anything but parents, the high school sweethearts reunited, etc. Â The predictability of these actions don’t fully take away from the experience. In fact perhaps they are the only redeeming parts of the film. Â These few instances show us evolved human beings, not one dimensional perverts, who the writers would have us believe represent all high school age males and/or obviously depraved females from band. Â Honestly, I would say if you enjoyed the first one or American Â Wedding, save yourself the pain of realizing that in 13 years, only YOU have evolved.

Â Â Â I did enjoy the soundtrack which was complete with some much needed Boys II Men, Montell Jordan, Spice Girls..but as a fan of 90s music, this was not the best soundtrack to represent the era. Â It did aid to the overall thrown together feel of the late 90s feel and all the “lovable” characters, including clips from the first film.

Â Â Â As far as performances go, they were spot on from the originals. This is both a pro and a con to this film. Â Yes, it’s great that all the actors made an appearance and could keep up their respective characters from over a decade ago. Â On the other hand, most of these characters had little to no development since then either. Â No one has really changed. Â Sure as a society we all want to believe that’s true, but in reality in order for an audience to invest, we have to feel and or relate to these characters. Â Jason Biggs and Alyson Hannigan did manage to make me care about their relationship in between very awkward moments that are just so unbelievable you can’t really get into the movie (i.e. the band room scene for those of you who have suffered already, for those of you would might still decide to see it…. you will understand all too well). Â Sean WIlliam Scott as Stifler delivers what is expected, adolescent, egotistical and raunchy one liners amongst his horrendous pranks. Â Stooping as low as to challenge and face off with an equally ridiculous one dimensional character who’s only excuse is still being in high school.

The rest of the cast, including Tara Reid, Thomas Ian Nichols, CHris Klein, Mena Suvari, Eddie Kaye Thomas, John Cho, Jennifer Coolidge and Eugene Levy (the best part of the film) served their purposes to be background for the main couple (Biggs and Hannigan) and the screw up comedy relief (Stifler).

Â Â Â Anyone could have directed it and had the same result, a raunchy joke filled with stereotypes and shockers that ran 20 minutes too long. Â There was nothing inventive about the story or story telling technique. It was a 90s comedy trying desperately to reclaim the big screen. Â With all the not so subtle hints at more installments in this franchise (subtle would have required intelligence) I wouldn’t be surprised if there is another one….there are so many more words they could put after “American”. Â Oi vey.

Â Â Â Here’s my suggestion, if you want to go see a movie about a high school reunion, save yourself some money and go buy Gross Pointe Blank. Â You will be much happier for it.