Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- awkward
- raunchy
- irreverent
- late night comedy
- group movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film an effective, believable revival of the teen sex comedy, though its formula and crude humor produced mixed overall reactions.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jim's failed attempts at intimacy, including the notorious pie incident and encounters involving Nadia, make humiliation central to the comic design.
Jim, Oz, Finch, and Kevin explicitly agree to lose their virginity before prom, making the pact the film's central engine.
The film combines explicit adolescent sexual humor with friendship, romantic vulnerability, and supportive advice from Jim's father.
The friends' separate romantic strategies converge around the shared deadline of prom night and graduation.
Films like American Pie, and why
Booksmart
shares the teen sex comedy format, high school setting, crude humor, and coming-of-age themes
Superbad
shares raunchy adolescent humor, friendship-driven romantic complications, and a quest toward sexual maturity
Porky's
shares the sex comedy tradition, high school social dynamics, and awkward teenage sexuality
The Last American Virgin
shares an ensemble teen comedy structure centered on romantic anxiety, sexual curiosity, and graduation-era self-discovery
Movie Details
- Director
- Paul Weitz
- Release Date
- 1999-07-09
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (8579)
Cast
- Jason Biggs
- Chris Klein
- Thomas Ian Nicholas
- Alyson Hannigan
- Shannon Elizabeth
- Tara Reid
- Eddie Kaye Thomas
- Seann William Scott
- Eugene Levy
- Natasha Lyonne
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is American Pie about?
- Four high school friends turn a virginity pact into an awkward, raunchy race toward prom night and unexpected emotional maturity.
- What is American Pie like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of American Pie as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is American Pie violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in American Pie.
- What did critics think of American Pie?
- Critics broadly found the film an effective, believable revival of the teen sex comedy, though its formula and crude humor produced mixed overall reactions.
- Which films are like American Pie?
- Films with a similar feel include Booksmart, Superbad, Porky's, and The Last American Virgin.
- How long is American Pie?
- American Pie runs 95 minutes.
- Where can I watch American Pie?
- In United States, American Pie is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
