scr Adam Herz
with Jason Biggs, Chris Klein, Seann William Scott, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Eugene Levy, Alyson Hannigan, Shannon Elizabeth, Tara Reid, Natasha Lyonne, Mena Suvari, Jennifer Coolidge
release US 10.Aug.01; UK 12.Oct.01
Universal 01/US 1h45
See also: AMERICAN WEDDING (2003) • AMERICAN REUNION (2012)
The entire cast is back for more of the same ... funny, vulgar antics that never even try to engage the audience.
It's a year later and the boys (Biggs, Klein, Nicholas and Thomas) are hoping to get some action over the summer, so they rent a lakeside house and plan a big blowout party, getting up to all sorts of mischief along the way. Much of the chaos involves the presence of girl-mad Stifler (Scott). And like the first film, much of the actual comedy comes from the veteran comic Levy, who plays Biggs' eager-to-help dad.
The first film was no masterpiece, but at least it had chaotic set pieces that made us cringe horrifically at the sheer horror and embarrassment layered upon our heroes. This time there really isn't anything that clever--the big set pieces all fall completely flat, and the film becomes a kind of treasure hunt in which we search for little gems of humour buried here and there.
The cast is still very able and energetic, adding what little charm there is. Biggs and Klein continue to show promise, while Scott gives another of his smirking, far-out performances. And the girls are all quite good, actually, until the script turns them into mushy idiots. But director Rogers (who also hacked his way through Say it Isn't So) just can't sustain the comic tone at all, never delivering anything fresh and then falling back on warm, cuddly romance at the end. Wait for the much more inventive Slackers, written by David H Steinberg, who gets story credit here.
| adult themes and situations, vulgarity, language |
| 24.Sep.01 |
"I was in high school once, and though female, can identify with the frustrations of the young male and sex - they are supposed to know everything, but how do they learn? Actually, I should say, they THINK they are supposed to know everything.... Anyway, I loved the first one - it is silly, dumb, but funny. The sequel takes over after the first year of college - high school is in the past, they have all lost their virginity and know sex intimately, or do they? I won't go into any details, there is a bit of a plot, but it is secondary to the jokes. We saw what was going to happen several times, but enjoyed watching it happen anyway. This is a silly, dumb, hilarious movie - go see it if you want a laugh. And if you figure out what the plot is, please email me!" --Laurie T, Minneapolis 3.Oct.01