American Reunion (2012)

Every high school reunion peaks in the first twenty minutes, and American Reunion follows the rule perfectly. Seeing the whole gang back together is a genuine kick. Then the movie remembers it needs jokes, and most of them are the franchise’s old embarrassments replayed at a lower volume. Each friend shows up with a grown-up problem, and one big party fixes all of them. Seann William Scott still throws everything he has into Stifler, a grown man treating a backyard bash like the championship game. Jason Biggs and Alyson Hannigan feel like a real couple with a toddler and zero sleep. The heart is Eugene Levy. Jim’s dad is a widower now, and watching his son coax him out for one big night on the town is sweet and very funny. It made $235 million worldwide on a reported $50M. A 5.1 because the cast is easy to love and the jokes are mostly reruns. $7,321 says you RSVP maybe to your next reunion and spend the whole week rehearsing how to describe your job.

What works: Eugene Levy’s widowed dad finding his way back to a social life gives the movie real warmth, and Seann William Scott commits to Stifler like it’s still senior year.

What doesn’t: Most of the jokes are the franchise’s old hits played again with less energy, and every grown-up problem gets solved by one party.

Who it’s for: Anyone who saw the first one as a teenager and wants to check in on the gang the way you’d scroll an old friend’s photos.