Product Details

• Actors: Jason Biggs, Chris Klein, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Alyson Hannigan, Shannon Elizabeth
• Directors: Paul Weitz, Chris Weitz
• Writers: Adam Herz
• Format: PAL
• Language: English
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Universal Pictures
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (590 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00004U0JC

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Anyone who's watched just about any teenage film knows that the greatest evil in this world isn't chemical warfare, ethnic cleansing, or even the nuclear bomb. The worst crime known to man? Why, virginity, of course. As we've learned from countless films--from Summer of '42 to Risky Business--virginity is a criminal burden that one must shed oneself of as quickly as possible. And while many of these films have given the topic a bad name, American Pie quietly sweeps in and gives sex some of its dignity back. Dignity, you may say? How can a film that highlights intercourse with fruit pies, premature ejaculation broadcasted across the Internet, and the gratuitous "gross-out" shots restore the dignity of a genre that's been encumbered with such heavyweights as Porky's and Losin' It? The plot may be typical, with four high school friends swearing to "score" by prom, yet the film rises above the muck with its superior cast, successful and sweet humor, and some actually rather retro values about the meaning and importance of sex. Jason Biggs, Chris Klein, Thomas Ian Nicholas, and Eddie Kaye Thomas make up the odd quartet of pals determined to woo, lie, and beg their way to manhood. The young women they pursue are wary girlfriend Vicky (Tara Reid), choir girl Heather (Mena Suvari), band geek Michelle (Alyson Hannigan), and just about any other female who is willing and able. Natasha Lyonne as Jessica, playing a similar role as in Slums of Beverly Hills, is the general adviser to the crowd (when Vicky tells her "I want it to be the right time, the right place," Jessica responds, "It's not a space shuttle launch, it's sex"). The comedic timing hits the mark--especially in the deliberately awkward scenes between Jim (Biggs) and his father (Eugene Levy). And, of course, lessons are learned in this genuinely funny film, which will probably please the adult crowd even more than it will the teenage one. --Jenny Brown

From The New Yorker

Four senior boys at a Michigan high school decide to end their status as virgins and undergo various erotic adventures-some ridiculous or humiliating, some gratifying-which they then relate to one another. The writer, Adam Herz, and the team of Paul and Chris Weitz (the first directs, the second produces) aim low and score. "American Pie" is often funny (one sequence involving a beautiful foreign-exchange student, a horny boy, and broadcasting over the Internet is classic), but you may come out depressed by it. The coarseness in itself is not offensive, but the notion that privacy couldn't possibly be a value that matters to anyone is. With a bevy of young actors, of whom Chris Klein, as a soft-voiced lacrosse player, is by far the most charming. -David Denby
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars unrated version not much different from the original, December 29, 1999

By 

"lordnemesis21" (North Shore, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: American Pie (Unrated Widescreen Collector's Edition) (DVD)

First off I would like to say that this was the funniest movie of the year! I watched it in theaters 5 times and I laughed as hard the 5th time as I did the the 1st time. As for the unrated version there is about less than a minute more that was added here than the orginal version. If you had a choice of chooseing the rated or unrated, you cant go wrong with either of them. As for the rest of the DVD, its awesome. It has access of the greatest quotes and songs that were played in the movie. Plus, they have the video for "You Wanted More" by Tonic which I was extremely happy to see because it didn't get enough airtime on the music channels. Overall, I would say this is DVD is a good example of one of those DVDs that show what you can put on a DVD. Plus, having the trailer for Man On The Moon was a major plus!

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not Much of a Difference in My Opinion, January 14, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: American Pie (Unrated Widescreen Collector's Edition) (DVD)

What was the point of releasing an unrated version of this movie? The only scene that was added was Jim on the counter with the pie (and this was included in the outtakes of the rated version). Plus, the scene in the beginning involving Jim's dillema of what kind of Jim, Nadia would go for, wasn't included. To me, there wasn't much of a difference between versions. The movie itself is one of my all-time favorites and I recommend it to anyone who hasn't already seen it. It's just that there was too much hype surrounding this "unrated" version. My advice, go with the rated version instead.

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars ultimate...., July 16, 2001

By 

Leon Land Gersing "fallenrogue" (Ohio) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: American Pie (Widescreen Unrated Ultimate Edition) (DVD)

Ok, so when are the people at Universal going to release their final versions of DVD releases first? I don't see why they make us buy one version one year then a better version the next. I love this film and enjoyed the extras on the first printing, but please...Universal, stop with the dual prints! If you print one collector's, make it a collector's edition. Not a preview to a better version of the same disc.