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American pie

Threat advisory: High - High risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

There's something about your first piece.

Jim (Jason Biggs) is just like any other healthy, red-blooded guy - who is also a virgin - he's desperate. And since his parents walked in on him watching porno films on a scrambled cable channel, things are now more desperate than ever. At home, his well-meaning dad (Eugene Levy) participates with a mortifying zeal in his son's sexual education and things at school aren't any better. His experience with a beautiful foreign exchange student, Nadia (Shannon Elizabeth), proves an online disaster, so his last resort is Michelle (Alyson Hannigan), a chatty band member who is handy with a flute. One thing is for sure; after exhausting every conceivable way to inaugurate himself in the ways of sex, Jim will never look at an apple pie the same way again!

Persons of interest

Jason Biggs .... Jim Levinstein
Shannon Elizabeth .... Nadia
Alyson Hannigan .... Michelle Flaherty
Chris Klein .... Chris "Oz" Ostreicher
Natasha Lyonne .... Jessica
Thomas Ian Nicholas .... Kevin Myers
Tara Reid .... Vicky Lathum
Seann William Scott .... Steve Stifler
Mena Suvari .... Heather
Eddie Kaye Thomas .... Paul Finch
Eugene Levy .... Jim's Dad
Jennifer Coolidge .... Stifler's Mother
Chris Owen .... Chuck Sherman
Adam Herz .... Screenwriter
Paul Weitz .... Director
Chris Weitz .... Director

Cinematic intelligence sources

Universal Pictures

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

Er... teenage boys in their last year of secondary education trying to lose their virginity on the big screen. Like they do.

American pie is not, fortunately, Porky's for the 90s. Almost as unfortunate, however, it is also not Romeo + Juliet. It wavers somewhere between the two, never achieving the heights or depths of either. For a new generation of hormonally repressed American teenagers, this film may well be shocking, but not for anyone in the real world.

Actually, American pie is more like Pretty in pink meets Porky's than anything else. Yes, I feel that is a much better description. Unfortunately (there's that word again), American pie doesn't have the legs to fill those films' shoes. (How's that for a mixed metaphor!)

The saving grace of American pie is that the filmmakers (brothers Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz - Antz) are new to their positions (producer and director respectively), so they've got the Hollywood standards down without being totally lost in the system. Unfortunately [Enough already! Ed.] that won't take long. There are lots and lots of funny bits, embarrassing bits, squirmy bits, steamy bits, etc., but once the lights come up in the cinema, nothing in your life will have changed.

Unless you're a hormonally over-achieving teenage guy without a girl or boyfriend. Then you might need to change your underpants.

Media intelligence (DVD collector's pack)

Special features:

Behind-the-scenes: Spotlight on location, footage from the set of American pie 2, key art tour
Commentary: Jason Biggs, Eddie Kaye Thomas, JB Rogers, Adam Herz
Deleted scenes
Interview: Paul Weitz and Chris Weitz
Music: 19 minute live performance by Tonic
Trailers: American pie, American pie 2

Picture: Widescreen 16:9 enhanced

Security censorship classification

MA 15+ (Sexual references)

Surveillance time

92 minutes (1:32 hours)

Not for public release in Australia before date

Film: 16 September 1999
DVD retail: 14 February 2000
DVD retail: 12 June 2002 - Box set
DVD rental: 26 October 2005 - Box set
VHS rental: 26 October 2005 - Box set