Behind Pie 2 For the filmmakers, the biggest challenge in "getting it right" was bringing the original cast back together. "People have so much affection for that ensemble, and their chemistry is what gives the characters so much humanity," Director Chris Moore said. "Having the original cast gave us the freedom to do more than just tread water with the storyline," said producer Craig Perry. "It would have been easy, but ultimately dull, to rehash the same gags in a different setting - 'American Pie Goes Hawaiian. ' Adam wrote a script that not only captures the innocence and humanity of the original, but actually shows you how our characters have evolved since the last time we saw them." Actor Jason Biggs agreed. "It did feel daunting to come back and try to do it again," he said, "but Adam Herz did an amazing job with this script. We're all put in situations that are believable for our characters, so from the first day of rehearsal, we literally picked up right where we left off." Alyson Hannigan savored the reunion. "As soon as we were together, it felt as if no time had passed," she said. "I love working with Jason. He's a lot of fun and doesn't care how foolish he looks. I don't think either one of us does really. It's wonderful to have that freedom." "The characters in American Pie 2 are the same people we knew in the original," Herz says, "except they're a little older, and they're starting to learn just how hard it can be to maintain friendships. Relationships take work. Love can be difficult. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it hurts, but ultimately it's the most rewarding thing there is." "J. B. was absolutely the most logical choice for director," declared Perry. "Not only because he is very talented, and not only because he's so close to the heart of American Pie (1999), but because he has such a wonderful rapport with the actors. Plus, he knows the characters, he knows how to build the right timing, and he has a real sense of comedy. " "I love J. B.," said Chris Klein, who plays good-natured jock Oz and was one of the stars of "Say It Isn't So" (2001). "He knows how to create a fun environment on his set, which really makes a difference with comedy. " Rogers envisioned American Pie 2 as an evolution of the first movie: "There's a rhythm and energy in the banter among the characters that we wanted to preserve - the way they riff and play off each other. There are a lot of signature camera moves from the first movie. They're designed to help audiences feel like they're still in the same comic territory, even if people aren't consciously aware of them. At the same time, we wanted to use this as a taking-off point to do entirely new things with the characters. Above all we did not want to get caught in a game of one-upsmanship with ourselves. You know, 'How can we top Jim on the pie? Maybe we could have four guys on a pie. ' So it always came back to bringing humor out of the characters, not just a string of gags. We wanted to capture as much of the spirit of the original as we could, and then let this movie find its own magic." American Pie 2 brings the guys and girls to a familiar setting; a summer beach house. "We wanted to build the comedy around situations everyone can relate to," said Herz. "Everyone knows what it's like trying to maintain a long-distance relationship. And everybody's been through that break-up where you don't know how to deal with your ex. So now Oz is learning just what commitment means while Kevin is realizing how difficult it can be to be friends with someone you used to be in love with. The humor is all about making these guys squirm." As in the original American Pie, while the guys keep score in the Game of Love, it's the girls who make the rules. "Girls tend to get sidelined in a lot of movies about young people," observed Natasha Lyonne, who plays Jessica, Vicky's level-headed friend and adviser. "Either they're naked, they're getting chased by a maniac with a knife - or both! The women in this movie want exactly what the guys want. They want to have fun and they want adventure. They're ready for shenanigans with the guys, but they're not about to be taken for granted." "Adam Herz does a great job of playing with the games guys and girls play to protect their reputations," said Thomas Ian Nicholas. "For women, the Rule of Three is that guys always exaggerate, so if he says he's slept with three girls, it's really only one - at best. Meanwhile, the guys have their own version. If a girl says she's slept with one guy, you know it's really three. In the end, both sexes realize all the game-playing is just that. You forget about keeping score and just learn to be who you are." "The women in American Pie and its sequel are in charge of their sexual energies," proclaimed Perry. "They have goals of their own, and they set the terms of their relationships. When we meet them this time around, they have become very demonstrative and confident, and the guys are struggling to catch up; just like real life!" At the heart of American Pie 2 are four archetypal young men who remain close friends in spite of their differences. "Kevin is the ringleader," said Herz, "Jim's the guy you always know is going to screw things up, Oz is the romantic, and Finch is basically a mystery." For Nicholas, friendship; onscreen and off, is the reason it all works. "When you see the characters having fun, playing off each other, that's us," he explained. "We come back to American Pie 2 the same way our characters do; we're already friends, and we're seeing where life has taken us in the last year or so." "Jim's greatest nightmare in the first movie was that he would die a virgin," said Biggs. "Now he's no longer a virgin, but he still doesn't have any sexual experience. " Meanwhile, the girl of his Internet fantasies, Czech exchange student Nadia (Shannon Elizabeth) is coming back determined to finish what she started the year before. Jim's life is one unbroken string of embarrassing moments. Mortification. Utter mortification. Somehow, against what would seem impossible odds, he manages to play out every sexually humiliating experience of his life in full view of an audience." Desperate to confirm whether he's really as bad in bed as he fears, Jim returns to his one and only sexual partner; Michelle, the surprisingly assertive band geek. "Michelle is going to work long and hard to whip Jim into shape," promised Alyson Hannigan, who portrays Michelle. "She will teach him what he needs to know to please a woman, and she will have fun doing it." Finch the self-described sophisticate and self-promoting ladies' man played by Eddie Kaye Thomas is studying the principles of Tantric sex. "His dream is to be reunited with Stifler's Mom as a master of sexual discipline, so he's studying eastern philosophy; saving his energies, as it were," said Thomas. "He's what you might call an extremely focused human being." The summer wouldn't be complete without Stifler, the bad boy gone worse played by Seann William Scott. "In the first movie, Stifler was just a fun-loving jerk, and you were just waiting to see him get what was coming to him," Scott laughed. Synopsis The guys and gals from "American Pie" are back again and they are still trying to figure out how to get laid. This time they are heading down to the lake for their vacation along with all the other college kids. Trouble is, that costs money and they don't have enough to pay the rent. Solution! Take the "Stifler" along. He might be dumb, he might be rough and he is certainly only after the chicks for one thing, but what the heck, the money has to come from somewhere. There are plenty of laughs right from the opening scenes when Jim's dad [Eugene Levy] puts his foot right in it. From here on it's whacky comedy at it's best [even if it is politically incorrect, but if they don't care, who should] with a whole lot of very funny and sticky, situations. Will the guys find true love? Will the guys get laid? Will Stiflers mum return for another round of mind boggling sex.? Can you really play a trumpet with your arse? Will Jim Jnr ever have sex with the gorgeous Nardia? Will Jim Jnr ever have sex with anyone? Will the Stifler acquire a taste for champagne? Only the totally outrageous, very "wicked", sex charged "American Pie 2" has all the answers to these, the most important questions in the whole universe. The Verdict "Plenty to giggle and have a good laugh at here. Jokes are pretty much on the smutty side of humour but this is a film for growing and hormonally challenged teenagers. The young ones are sure to enjoy "Pie 2"." MA 15+ What The Critics Say

"But American Pie 2 does have charm, especially in its strong ensemble cast." " ... Eugene Levy's delicious performance as Jim's Dad doesn't disappoint." "The soundtrack will make your toes tap with 15 upbeat tracks, and although it may not be the f ilm that the original was, it is sunny, funny and entertaining." Louise Keller URBANCINEFILE "This is a sad indictment of a generation. Penis jokes ( I use the word loosely) abound, as if they were the holy grail of comedy." Andrew L Urban URBANCINEFILE "A wickedly humorous pastiche emphasizing the angst of teenage maleness." Jeanne Aufmuth PALO ALTO WEEKLY "American Pie 2 is hardly sophisticated, but it's as inspired as teen sex comedies get." Sean Axmaker SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER "The new movie is just as funny as the first one." Chris Hewitt ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS "This movie should've been called A Teenager's Guide to Getting Laid!" JoBlo JOBLO'S MOVIE EMPORIUM "Silly yet fun." Bruce Kirkland JAM! MOVIES "The sequel cunningly tempers its full-bore raunchiness with a generous dose of date-movie sweetness and an overall sense of fair play." Joe Leydon SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER "The sequel raises more big laughs than you'd expect." Frank Lovece TV GUIDE'S MOVIE GUIDE "One of the better sequels to come out in the last few years." Eric Lurio GREENWICH VILLAGE GAZETTE "Clever and cheeky" Christopher Null FILMCRITIC.COM

The Cast

Jason Biggs Shannon Elizabeth Alyson Hannigan Chris Klein Thomas Ian Nicholas Natasha Lyonne Mena Suvari Tara Reid Seann William Scott Eddie Kaye Thomas Eugene Levy Molly Cheek Chris Owen Eli Marienthal Lisa Arturo

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James 'Jim' Levenstien Nadia Michele Flaherty Chris Ostreicher Kevin Myers Jessica Heather Vicky Lathum Steve Stifler 'Finchy' Jim's Dad Jim's Mom Chuck Sherman Stifler's Brother Amber

Directed by James B. Rogers Screenplay by Adam Herz Original Music by David Lawrence Production Design by Richard Toyon Costume Design by Alexandra Welker Director of photography Mark Irwin Produced by Chris Moore/Craig Perry/Warren Zide Run Time 107 minutes ©2001 - Universal Studios - All Rights Reserved