American Pie 3: American Wedding

Released: Nationally August 7
Cast: Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Seann William Scott, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Thomas Ian Nicholas, January Jones, Eugene Levy, Jennifer Coolidge
Director: Jesse Dylan
Genre: Comedy
Rated: MA 15+
Running Time: 96 minutes


The American Pie gang is back in this last instalment of the teen comedy trilogy. Just as the first film dealt with 'getting your first piece', and it's sequel revolved around the onset of adulthood, it's appropriate that American Wedding is about marriage, between that of Jim (Jason Biggs) and Michelle (Alyson Hannigan). Having just finished college, Jim pops the big question in a classy restaurant (albeit pants-less), and preparations for the big day begin in earnest. But despite the best efforts of Jim and his ever-loyal best friends, this wedding may become a disaster before it's even begun!

As Stifler (Seann William Scott) becomes consumed by bachelor party plans, he enters once again into a bitter rivalry with his arch nemesis Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) over the affections of Michelle's sister Cadence (January Jones). As the big day draws closer, all hell inevitably breaks loose, resulting in the kind of gross - out scenarios we've come to expect from this series of films.

Several characters from previous films are inexplicably absent, but this actually works in the American Wedding's favour. Just as the second film spent minimal time focussing on the less interesting characters, American Wedding is spared the inclusion of Chris Klein, Mena Suvari, Tara Reid and Shannon Elizabeth simply as window dressing. More time is spent on our favourite characters than ever before, Jim, Finch, Michelle, and most notably the 'not love to hate, but hate to love' Stifler.

After stealing American Pie 2 from his counterparts, Seann William Scott once again makes this film his own, the centrepiece of most of its best sequences. From a gay club dance off, to a mistaken sexual rendezvous with the elderly, Scott is fantastic in nearly every scene he's in. While American Wedding ranks superior to it's direct predecessor, it remains not as well directed, or as genuinely touching as the first American Pie. Nonetheless, this is teen comedy as it's most disgusting, most vulgar, and perhaps most funny. A fitting 'climax' to one of the goofier trilogies of the last decade.


- Daniele Chirico