#FebFaves: My Favorite Coming Of Age Comedy from My Youth

This one is cheating a bit, American Pie isn’t my favorite coming of age movie, but it’s the one that hit at just the right time for me and my generation. Not only did the first one release just as I was entering high school,. but due to the longevity of the franchise I got to see the characters and world grow up to a similar pace of my own through American Pie 1,2, Wedding and Reunion.

The movie has some progressive thoughts/characters that may have helped some of us better understand the transition into adulthood. Like the way that Jim’s father is just so understanding with many of his sons… follies throughout the movie. Kevin’s quest to actually get good enough to give his girlfriend an orgasm and not just have her be the source of sexual conquest. It even dealt with the emergence of online technology and dating that really has become something else in the 20 years since release.

It’s also full of iconic lines and moments from that era. Making “MILF” a household term, “This one time at band camp,” and of course the Shermantor. American Pie remains a bit of a nostalgia treat.

The point of #FebFaves is to highlight things I’ve loved throughout the course of my life, but it felt like this movie was the perfect time to make the point that something you love can be helluva problematic. American Pie probably would not pass any type of test in 2019. Women are mostly seen as prizes. The scene where Jim broadcasts Nadia changing to his friends (and eventually the whole school) was pretty bad back then, but now it’s just straight up wrong and probably should have had severe punishments for Jim. Stifler calling Oz gay for joining the choir, not cool dude. There’s a lot to call out in this film. And feel like I would be doing a disservice if I didn’t.

Though I will also acknowledge that it is part of who I am and still has some merits.