American Reunion [Review by Parsi]

In our collective imagination, reunions exist on a broad continuum from recapturing lost youth to lording achievements over tormentors or doubters.  But reality is far more pedestrian that any revenge or revitalization fantasy.  Dreams have faded.  Aspirations have hit reality.  Duty has scuttled liberty.  This is not to say that our lives become dreary, but that priorities change and paths diverge.  Certainly not for everyone, but for most.

We retain friendships with many of those who are most important to us.  We may not be able to see them as often as we’d like, but they have not faded from the corners of our minds.  Sure, there are people we would like to reconnect with; namely those who have escaped the clutches of Facebook.  In the end, though, a reunion can be a let down.  Unfortunately that is precisely the case with American Reunion.

Reunion (like its namesake) is a let down because it is too focused on recapturing something that is long gone.  When American Pie first came out it was able to capture the angst of its generation.  It was crass and rude in a fairly new and interesting way.  American Pie also shed light on the importance and ridiculousness of male bonds.  It was refreshing and fun.  But, since American Pie, the genre has moved forward with films like Superbad and The Hangover pushing the envelope further and in different directions.

Reunion lives in a world where these films were never made.  It returns to jokes and themes that are tired.  Another misadventure with a topless girl.  A touch of poop humor.  Masturbation.  Sure, some of the jokes are funny.  But, it feels sort of sad at times; like the 30 year-old who never seems to leave his high school days.

I am left wanting and that is the worst part of both Reunion and reunions.

Reunion misses opportunities to explore some themes that are right within its grasp.  What led these characters to who they are now and why did they drift apart?  This exploration would have been far more interesting.  There are hints.  Stifler (Sean William Scott) has a terrible job and otherwise meaningless life.  High school was the pinnacle, so it is no wonder he wants to recapture it.  But this subject is treated so superficially.  The other cast of characters also present rich potential for exploring the paths that take them to their reunion, but nothing is done with any of these stories.  Opportunity is squandered.

A highlight of the film is the Eugene Levy (my view is not tainted by my passing resemblance to a younger Levy, although I am more than willing to take on such a role if it were available).  Levy’s performance is successful because he treats his character with honesty.  He is given the opportunity to develop and grow and explores what brought him to this moment in time (a widow back on the prowl).  His humor is situational and organic, rather than a forced re-tread.

On a personal note, I must confess that I was very distracted by Mena Suvari‘s bangs.  I know it is totally superficial.  Maybe it is having a hairstylist for a mother, but I could not help being distracted.  First, her bangs are crooked.  Second, everyone knows she has a large forehead.  Frankly, it is part of what is alluring about her.  The ham-handed attempt to cover it up detracted from her appearance.  Word from the wise, embrace your unique attributes because they make you beautiful.

American Reunion has some really funny moments and some tender moments too.  My disappointment is that it focuses too much on what it once was and not enough on what it could have been.  Like Stifler, it is too fixated on recapturing a time in life that passed it by, instead of capturing the moment it exists in.

PARSI VERDICT:  Reunion could have been much more, but tried too hard to recapture what it could no longer be.