It appears that American Pie, once a beloved comedy, is now facing criticism from today’s teenagers.
The film, released in 1999, was very much a product of its time. However, a new generation of teenagers has expressed their disapproval, particularly focusing on one specific aspect.
Written by Adam Herz and directed and co-produced by Paul Weitz, American Pie is a coming-of-age comedy about a group of high school friends who make a pact to lose their virginity before graduation.
The film is known for being funny, sometimes grossly so, and definitely cringe-worthy. It became a classic for a reason, originally titled Untitled Teenage Sex Comedy That Can Be Made For Under $10 Million That Most Readers Will Probably Hate But I Think You Will Love.
According to Box Office Mojo, American Pie was a box office hit, earning $235.5 million globally on a budget of just $11 million. Its success even led to the creation of a franchise.
However, it seems the film has lost its charm with the current youth, who disagree with some of its themes and how a particular scene is portrayed.
In an interview with VICE, 17-year-old Hannah criticized the part “where Jim and the other male characters film the foreign exchange student in his room” as being “deeply problematic.”
She elaborated: “The film doesn’t even question the morality of doing this, it makes it seem like a joke and that the dudes are all ‘legends’ for getting the plan to work. It’s a huge violation of privacy and definitely a sexual offence for Jim to film her, let alone to then share that with his friends. There’s no way a teen film made now would allow it.”
Similarly, 18-year-old Olivia commented on the film’s portrayal of men, stating they “think they deserve sex” and view women as good for nothing else, which she says borders on “incel attitudes.”
She added, “I think if you were a teenage boy watching this you’d basically feel entitled to behave however you wanted to towards women.”
Sixteen-year-old Taylor was even more blunt, calling “the whole movie” “completely ridiculous.”
She specifically noted, “Especially how the only thing the male characters care about is having sex.”
Taylor expressed uncertainty about whether the portrayal of men being “willing to say and do whatever just to convince the girls to have sex with them” was “realistic when the film came out,” but she believes “men treat women with a lot more respect and equality now.”
So, what are your thoughts?