Formulaic script goes down easy as 'Pie'

If you have seen either of the first two "American Pie" movies, you generally know what to expect.\nJim (Jason Biggs) gets humiliated in the first scene and at various points thereafter. Then, he has uncomfortable chats with his dad (Eugene Levy). Stifler (Seann William Scott) gives that what's-wrong-with-you-dorks, constipated, tense look. Sophisticated wimp Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas, your career is boarding) strikes out. Then, they throw in a little nudity, and you can guess when that's going to happen too.\nThankfully, it's still often hilarious, but they ought to quit while they're ahead as you can sense when the film begins to teeter.\nThis time, Jim asks horncat/flautist/girlfriend Michelle (Alyson Hannigan) to marry him. She says yes, and Fred Willard and Deborah Rush play her hard-to-please parents, who only seem more so since Jim is always worried about messing up. Michelle's sexy sister Cadence (January Jones) is a priss who provides a way for an uninvited Stifler to ingratiate himself upon the festivities.\nThe scenes and characters are so down pat that while Jesse Dylan is listed as director, it moves along like on autopilot. The real star, though, remains Adam Herz's writing. If anything, he's made this film a little raunchier, perhaps just to top himself.\nWith outrageous gags serving as the reason to see the film, the cast isn't so important. Thomas Ian Nicholas's Kevin is in this film, but he has very little to do. Perhaps he was the only one from the previous films who didn't get the hint: Tara Reid, Natasha Lyonne, Chris Klein, Shannon Elizabeth and Mena Suvari are all not in "American Wedding." Only Elizabeth's character, Nadia, is even acknowledged, and even that occurs only briefly.\nThe film sticks with its comedic strengths, riding them for as many laughs as possible while throwing in just enough genuine feelings that create these films' unique temperament. Specifically, those strengths would be Stifler and Jim's dad, Stifler handling all the moments that require him to be the life of the party and Jim's dad handling all the private agony. In fact, Jim's dad even helps out Michelle after she comes up with a case of wedding vows writer's block. It's a somewhat mushy scene but redeemed by Michelle's hysterical synonym for lovemaking, said with an especially straight face.\nFor fear of spoiling the fun, details must be spared. I will say Stifler gets victimized as part of a gag that's the most disgusting thing I've ever seen on film. The cream puff scene in "National Lampoon's Van Wilder" is "The Wizard of Oz" compared to this scene. Also, when characters get caught with their pants down, that is meant literally.\nThankfully, part of the occasionally conservative formula is an R rating. Anything less would be too civilized.