American Pie (1999)
Where to Watch
- Paul Weitz originally wanted a completely different ending for the film, but test audiences preferred the one we see today.
- Before Jason Biggs was cast, several major A-list stars turned down the lead role because they felt the script was too risky.
- During the filming of American Pie, Jason Biggs improvised one of the most famous lines in the movie.
American Pie is a 1999 American teen sex comedy directed by Paul Weitz and Chris Weitz. The film follows four high school friends โ Jim, Kevin, Oz, and Finch, played by Jason Biggs, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Chris Klein, and Eddie Kaye Thomas โ who make a pact to lose their virginity before prom night. Their increasingly desperate and humiliating attempts provide the comedy, while a surprisingly genuine emotional undercurrent about first love, friendship, and the anxiety of adolescent sexuality gives the film unexpected heart.
Jason Biggs's Jim, whose mortifying encounters include being caught by his father in an intimate moment with a warm apple pie โ the scene that gave the film its title and most infamous gag โ became the film's comedic centerpiece. Eugene Levy's performance as Jim's embarrassingly supportive father, who offers explicit sexual advice with unfailing sincerity, became one of the franchise's most beloved running elements. Alyson Hannigan's final-act revelation as the seemingly innocent band camp girl Michelle added the film's most quotable line.
American Pie earned $235 million worldwide on a $11 million budget, launching a franchise of theatrical sequels and direct-to-video spin-offs and establishing the raunchy teen comedy as the dominant comedy subgenre of the early 2000s.
