REUNION aka AMERICAN REUNION (2001)
Reviewed by Jerry Saravia
Set in Ojai, California, we are introduced to the mayor of this town, Margaret (Marlene Forte) who is organizing the 20th high-school reunion of her class of 1981. The principals include the whining Mindy (Rainer Judd), who is having consistent crying fits over her divorce; the musician Ty (Corey Glover) who is trying to reconcile with the son he never knew; the black-haired Golden Boy, Brad (Billy Wirth), who had higher aspirations than being a bus driver; the former nerd Jeanie (Jennifer Rubin), once known as the "big loser of 1981," who is now a photojournalist; the retiring Army officer, Patrick (Dwier Brown, formerly of "Field of Dreams"), who has a secret to share with his disappointed dad (Steve Gilborn); and finally, the cokehead J.C. (Andres Faucher), the pizza parlor owner whose deceased brother was once the owner and a member of this reuniting class. It is no accident that the designated members of this graduating class share their secrets at the pizza parlor.
It is unlikely that what transpires in "American Reunion" will surprise you. It is also unlikely that the film's look, shot on digital video, will change people's minds about the choice of using an amateur medium. The truth is that perhaps the film would have been elevated had it been shot on film stock, but who cares? I mean, a lot of decent films were shot on digital video, everything from "Star Wars: Episode II" to "The Anniversary Party" to "Chuck and Buck" to several Dogme95 films like "The Celebration." The medium is not as significant as what takes place in front of the camera. Okay, enough of that, but I see that some critics are bothered by the cheap medium of choice lately among the independents.
Writer Kimberly Shane O'Hara does an admirable job of crafting so many characters into a 90-minute film with such different personalities. O'Hara's subtle touch is to thrown in small doses of humor to accentuate the action, namely the dialogue in different locations. For example, there is a regaling moment at a supermarket where Mindy confronts her ex-husband and her new girlfriend. After the confrontation, she speaks into the intercom telling him that she is leaving. Humor aside, characters come into clear focus from the moment they are introduced. Mindy's own crying fits may deter the audience, but soon she is showing how alert she is as a human being - she is able to move on despite her divorce. Even the frenetic Mayor, who seems to bounce from end of town to the other, discovers the real purpose of the reunion. And so does Brad, who knows it is more than about celebrating with red wine and pizza. These high-school graduates are not the same people they are now. Or perhaps they haven't changed as much as having undergone changes.
My favorite characters are Brad and Jeanie, who quickly develop as friends and have sex in the woods. Jeanie sees a certain beauty in everything. Brad is the realist, trying to understand his own curiosity about this reunion as much as Jeanie's. Scenes like the opening scene where the two of them meet at the town's cafe reveals their relationship instantly - their mutual curiosity and honesty. Billy Wirth (formerly a vampire in "The Lost Boys") and Jennifer Rubin (formerly Fred Krueger's punk-rock victim in "Nightmare 3") underplay beautifully, as does most of the cast.
"American Reunion" was initially titled "Reunion" with the Dogme95 moniker prominently used as its banner. The director Leif Tilden had shown the original film at a Swedish film festival, which had a sell-out audience. Thanks to extra funds, the film underwent extra shooting (including a scene where the Mayor visits a former graduate's grave) to appeal to a more mainstream audience. Though it is difficult to say if this new version will appeal to the mass tastes (I could have lived without the football game montages), I can safely say that "American Reunion" is like drinking a fine glass of red wine while listening to old friends reminisce about their lives. Though it is not as enveloping or as richly layered as "The Big Chill" (which most critics seem to be hailing it as), it is just as bittersweet and unsentimental. We need more films like this.
