American Pie

Four high school virgins, all male, swear an oath to lose their virginity before they graduate. Writer Adam Jerz and director Paul Weitz lower the bar to rock bottom in an effort to cross-breed American Graffiti with There’s Something About Mary. The gags are outlandish and reality-challenged—was any teenage boy ever randy enough to masturbate into an apple pie? Despite the crudity and rampant sexism, it’s only fair to report that at a recent preview screening, the laughter was frequent, long and loud. Still, not everyone was amused, and Weitz and Jerz’s idea of humor is strictly a matter of taste, or lack of it. The production is amateurish and cheap-looking, but two decent performances are worth mentioning: Chris Klein as a sensitive jock and Alyson Hannigan as a nerdy flute player.