Film Reviews

American Pie 3

• Rating:
• Director: Jesse Dylan
• Starring: Alyson Hannigan
• Details: US / 102 mins / (15PG).

This is the third and hopefully final instalment of the American Pie trilogy, which sees many of the characters who first appeared four years ago go through the motions, with many of them (Mena Suvari, Chris Klein and Tara Reid) wisely deciding that their careers could do without the ignominy of another slice of this mayhem. Some four years after we were first introduced to the characters, American Pie: The Wedding sees Jim (Jason Biggs) and his sweetheart Michelle Flaherty (Alyson Hannigan) getting hitched. As weddings rarely go to plan, the nuptials in American Pie are shorthand for chaos and we're subjected to the usual pre-day nerves and tantrums. Michelle's family show up, including her young sister, Cadence (January Jones), whom the resolutely idiotic Stifler (Seann William Scott) decides that he wants to have his wicked way with.
Over a decade has passed since the Farrelly brothers brought the gross out comedy kicking and screaming to the mainstream and American Pie: The Wedding has arrived at the station hours after the last train has departed. The performers gamely go about their business with the material but the lack of imagination on the part of the screenwriters - they are frightfully obsessed with the comedic possibilities of faeces - means that American Pie: The Wedding peters out long before its conclusion has been reached. The plus points? Hard to come by, but Seann William Scott's ability to strip away his dignity ounce by ounce is a sight to behold. Kind of.

Review by Garreth Murphy