The Popkorn Junkie :: American Wedding

One of the greatest journeys in life is that of marriage. The years of searching for the right person, the chaotic preparations not withstanding, marriage has remained an institution of civilization for thousands of years. Despite the many changes in courtship and perceptions over the last 40 years, marriage is still the ultimate goal for many couples as society, literature, the arts, and old fashioned romanticism enforce that true happiness can be found in spending your life with another.

In the film “American Wedding”, lovable and eccentric Jim (Jason Biggs), and Michelle (Alyson Hannigan), have decided to tie the knot following their college graduations. Naturally the carefully planned proposal becomes a public embarrassment thanks to Michelle’s active libido and the untimely arrival of Jim’s dad (Eugene Levy).

Despite the public mishap, the wedding plans shift into high gear with the arrival of Michelle’s parents Harold and Mary (Fred Willard, (Deborah Rush) and their daughter Cadence (January Jones). Naturally Jim, thanks to the unwanted help of local miscreant Steve Stiffler (Seann William Scott), makes a negative impression on his future in laws by being caught in yet another of his awkward and embarrassing situations. Things get even more intense when Stiffler and Jims buddy Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) battle for the affections of Cadence with hilarious results especially when Stiffler, the master of profanity and crudeness, attempts to ingratiate himself with Michelle’s parents and become part of the wedding party.

This all adds up to a hectic and very funny wedding preparation as all manner of mishaps arise ensuring that this wedding will not be soon forgotten. The wedding in many ways is an afterthought in the film as the focus is on the events leading up to the wedding. The cast works very well with one another, and they seem to be having a blast working with one another again. Most of the female members of the previous films as well as Ozzy (Chris Klein) are not in the film. While Klein reportedly did not wish to be a part of the film, the absence of any mention of his character seems odd, especially given that Shannon Elizabeth’s Nadia is mentioned briefly in the film though her character does not appear.

Smaller cast aside, the film is a bawdy and funny romp that will delight fans of the series and make you laugh. The story may not be all that deep, but the film hits a home run in the laugh department. My main regret is that Hannigan and Biggs were more subdued then in the past as it is Stiffler who gets himself into the craziest situations in the film. Should this film prove a success, then do not rule out a fourth slice of a very good pie.

-- Gareth Von Kallenbache ( 3 out of 4 pops )

Talk about this film with other Popkorn Junkies

Other Junkie's opinions.....

Matt ( 2 1/2 out of 4 pops )

Though it's OK and worthy of some good laughs, this is easily the worst in the series. The opening scene where Jim gets oral from under a table in a restaurant by Michelle with his father standing over him, as well as Stiffler's dance-off scene in the gay bar are some of the funniest gags in the series, but most of the others are throwaways. One particularly disgusting, and unfunny, gag involves Stiffler eating a piece of dog crap that he pretends is a chocolate truffle. Speaking of Stiffler, his character seems to be featured more than anyone else. And there in lies our problem. Stiffler, as a recurring supporting character, is altogether tolerable and sometimes very funny. But as a major character, he totally wears out his welcome--the same way Jay and Silent Bob did in "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back." I mean, how many crude euphemisms can you possibly use? Not to mention Stiffler represents the kind of guy I've d since I started high school: the foul-mouthed jerk who gets laid on a regular basis simply because of his good looks. Not only is the use of Stiffler heightened, but the use of Jim's dad is lessened. In my opinion, he is the funniest character in these movies! Eugene Levy owns that role, and his pan delivery couldn't be any funnier. Of course, we got the obligatory scene--which I didn't mind in the least--occurring during Jim's bachelor party. It's ironic that though this film centers around a wedding, it is the least heartfelt of the series. The other films had heartfelt moments that weren't undermined by pervasive crudeness--unlike this one. This is altogether not a bad conclusion to the trilogy, but I hope "conclusion" is the key word. No more pie, please. I'm full.

Billy Ray ( 3 out of 4 pops )

Personally, I am glad that "American Wedding" is the last in the series. I knew when I first saw "American Pie" that I was watching a modern day "Porky's". When I saw "American Pie 2", I knew I was watching a lame sequel, a poor attempt to cash in on the success of the first picture. "American Wedding" was a pleasant surprise for me. It contains twice as much toilet humor as the first two films and does not possess the strongest plot, but it made me laugh on more than one occasion. I have grown to like the characters of Jim, Finch, Stiffler, and especially Eugene Levy as Jim's dad. I enjoyed Fred Willard in this film, and knew the film could not be complete without a visit from Stiffler's mother. I didn't like the fact that they made no reference at all to the characters portrayed by Chris Klein, Mena Suvari, and Tara Reid, and I really disliked how Stiffler was wholly different from his character in the first two films. He used way more profanity and had some kind of lip snarl going on that bugged the hell out of me. Alas, the film has humor and heart, and I thought it was much better than the second film. While a part of me is glad to see it go, a part of me hates to see it end. It marks the end of the entertaining teen comedies from the mid and late nineties. The big question is -- Will Jason Biggs find life outside of this franchise?