I was 19 when the first American Pie movie came out. I mentioned to my friend Frances that I wanted to see it and she responded with, "Brandi! Do you know what that movie is ABOUT?" I don't remember who I went with but I saw the movie. And since this was back in the Golden Era known as the 90's, where you could go to the movies without having to offer up your first born as payment for the ticket, I saw it the theater. (True Fact: Thirteen years later and I have been to the movies precisely three times in the past five years. THREE times in FIVE years).
Jim, Ox, Kevin, Stiffler, and the rest of the crew were all class of '99. I was class of '98. The American Pie movies WERE my generation. I loved the original one. Yeah, it was rude and crass and it's certainly not something any of my kids are going to be watching ANYtime soon. But, with some movies, that doesn't really matter. I loved the original movie. When the second one came out, I had to see it (I can vividly remember a co-worker, a woman in her late 30's [I was very early 20's at that time so late 30's was oooooold] telling me, "Brandi, you HAVE to see the movie! There's a HUGE blue dildo in it!"). I watched American Wedding as well. Those movies. My generation. MY movies.
I was nerdishly excited when I heard they were coming out with American Reunion. Embarrassingly excited. Hello! I'm now in my 30's and the movies were, basically, about a boy who humped a pie. When do we grow up and, you know, kind of get over the "lol"ness of things like that? Never? I'm okay with that.
It's not the 90's anymore and I now have three children. Watching the movie in the theater would've required a babysitter, payment for a babysitter, and taking out a second mortgage on our home to be able to afford tickets and movie food. So we waited. And, the other night, Eddie and I split a bottle of wine and settled in to get reacquained with Jim and the crew.
Keep in my mind: my hubs is ten years older than I am. When the first Pie movie came out, he was in his late 20's. He didn't GET my absolute need to watch the movie. He had never even seen 2 or Wedding! (Blasphemy!) That said, he laughed quite a bit during the movie but I don't think he came anywhere close to enjoying it as much as I did. I.loved.it. Was it cheesy? Youbetcha. Was the plot absolutely amazing? Um, duhhh, no. Is it going to win any awards? Doubt it. But it was just . . . It was American Pie! 13 years later!
As much as I enjoyed it, though, it also made me feel . . . old? If not exactly old then definitely grown. I mean, technically, I'm a year older than these characters and they're, like, grow ups, dude. And they have real jobs and kids and stuff. So, if they are grown then that must mean . . .
The movie begins with R.Kelly singing "Bump 'n Grind" in the background and a bouncing bed and you done arrdy know that the bouncy bed wasn't in early 20's style matress dancing. By the way: the irony isn't lost on me that my two-year-old busted in the room all angry faced during the movie.
It also reminded me of just how much the world has changed in the past 13 years. Think about it. Was there even a cell phone in the original movie? One of the characters appears in a reality show. In 1999, reality TV was limited to The Real World and Trading Spaces. We'd yet to delve into the "This person is D-list Famous, let's give them they're own show!" territory. Ricky Martin! He was Livin' La Vida Loca. What the hey hey has he done lately?
Man. Time. Always changing, always marching on . . .
