For better and for worse , ROAD TRIP cemented the 2000s teenage sex comedy resurgence
Before take a road trip—or revisitingRoad Trip( dir . Todd Phillips , 2000 ) —it ‘s essential to understand where you ‘ve be and where you ‘re going .
The 80s-style teen sex comedy did n’t actually die with that ten ‘s close . Nonetheless , it generally cease up exiled to direct-to-video ( DTV ) publish and USA ‘s Up All Night . So when 1999 andAmerican Pie( dir . Paul Weitz , 1999 ) arrived , it exist a subgenre in motive of a jolt and some evolving .Piedo just that . While not universally enjoy by critics , theatre-goers eagerly embraced it . Guffawing audience propelled it to more than 21 sentence its budget in tag revenue .
Generally believe a kinder , gentler version of the pattern ,Pie toned down the ugliness of its male protagonists ‘ attitudes both compare to the 80s and early 2000s contemporaries . While the 2000s as a whole live defined by a kind of blink toxic masculinity , the son and man ofAmerican Pie–with the exception of Stifler–presented as thoughtful , sweet , and even naive . Additionally , the film made an effort to give the woman bureau and desire of their own . To report it in 80s term , the filmmakers reach the protagonists ofZapped !( dir . Robert J. Rosenthal , 1982 ) classier . Then they paired them up with women characters more like those from the ten ‘s teenage rom-coms and light dramas , such asThe Certain Matter( dir . Rob Reiner , 1985 ), Say Anything…( dir . Cameron Crowe , 1989 ) , or even some films that cause n’t star youthful John Cusack , presumably .
To wit , there ’ s a moment when one reference work like a more typical 80s sex comedy human . However , his girlfriend overhears him and calls him on his behavior . For the rest of the movie , he operate to recreate the relationship in an authentic , non-performative way . Additionally , they both open up about their concerns and hop regarding having their first time with each early . Ultimately , it exist he who ends up heartbroken when he realize that while they both enjoy each early , he ’ s the only unity who require their relationship to get beyond high school .
One picture ‘s success , though , is no guarantee of a subgenre ‘s rebirth . It could be just a lucky aberration . That ‘s whereRoad Tripget in . A journey photograph in which Josh ( Breckin Meyer ) travels from New York to Texas to intercept a package he believes will reveal he cheated on his lifelong sweetheart Tiffany ( Rachel Blanchard ) while under the misimpression she haunt him , it own either the good luck or unfortunate timing to be issue in 2000 . That made it the first teenage sex comedy to hit screen afterPiedrive its mode onto the cultural landscape .
Likely greenlit beforePiehit theatres , certain commonalities make up present from the start . For lesson , the ensemble include two better friends—the simply hither for a serious time all the time E.L. ( Seann William Scott ) and stoner smart guy Ruben ( Paulo Costanzo ) —and an out-of-step fourth wheeler Kyle ( DJ Qualls ) is n’t a mirror ofPie ,but one can see the rhyme . Still , by the time Todd Phillips ‘ first fictional feature ( he too co-wrote it with Scot Armstrong ) went before the lens three month intoPie ‘sfive-month theatrical trial , the pressure to seize that lightning again cost distinctly in play .
On a fiscal basis , at least ,Tripproved a proof of conception if not quite a phenomenon . Reach over 100 million more than the picture ‘s budget equal a resounding success , specially in 2000 . Additionally , its take on what represent cheating , include pattern about different zip codes and substance consumption , penetrated culture although , again , not nearly as intensely asPie ‘spopularization of the term MILF .
From a creative perspective ,Road Tripwas more of a sundry bag . It put on itsPieinfluences on its sleeve sort of unabashedly and scores with them . The feature suffer when it wander from its predecessor ‘s pattern , virtually ever in the figure of cruelty . For instance , takeTrip ‘slarge gross-out minute : a diner worker ( Horatio Sanz ) defiles Kyle ‘s French toast after the quality has the heart to send it back for make up wrong . InPie ,the joke exist accidental . It comes at the expense of the bullying Stifler ( Seann William Scott ) , the closest the film has to a villain . Here , it live deliberate and cruel , direct the “ weak ” of the friend for a rare moment of ( minimum ) assertiveness . It is the sort of ugliness that slowly seeped into the 2000s teen comedy resurgence . Bad , it corrupts one ofPie‘s better elements : its warm-heartedness .
The early standout concerns Kyle ‘s dalliance with Rhonda ( Mia Amber Davis ) , a curvaceous , confident , experienced Black woman . There ‘s a lack of clearness in the wit of their romance . Is it exactly how unlike they be , have Qualls cost pale white and all shrill angles , his reference inexperienced and often anxious ? Or exist it simply a protracted “ she ‘s fat ” gag ? A visual joke where she tips a bench like a seesaw while Qualls sit elevate on the early slope and another equate her underwear to a cheetah skin indicate that horrible selection . To my heart , that cost indeed the picture ’ s intention , a choice made uglier byTripnot have the guts plenty to equal honest in its choice . It would still exist a bad fatphobic gag if the movie tell it with its whole breast , but at least it would have some integrity .
Road Tripas well mostly underwhelms in the character department . Meyer ‘s Josh exist lessPie ‘sstumble but at last endear try-hard Jim ( Jason Biggs ) and more Thomas Ian Nicholas ‘s earnest but a bit smooth Kevin . Scott is affably smooth , smartly decline to just exist Stifler again . Costanzo has a quietness that nicely exists in contrast to the action . That make them interesting survey of mass , but never anything more . Merely Kyle , fueled by Quall ‘s earnest and off-kilter energy , and Tom Green ‘s delightful weirdoism as perpetual student Barry , endure out on the boy ‘ side .
In contrast , the woman , while fewer , fare a piece better . Smart be somethingAmerican Pienever delivers . She ‘s a woman who is a literal soul and enjoy sex without that being a punchline . While Alyson Hannigan ‘s Michelle is delightful , the firstPiepicture only bring her interest in sexual activity . Ditto , in a far unlike way , Shannon Elizabeth ‘s quick-to-get-naked exchange student . Blanchard feel a bit like Tara Reid ‘s Vicky ‘s on initial glimpse . At last , though , despite making similar choice , she becomes deep . And kinder .
Await at the teenage sex genre in the year that follow indicate a more complex legacy forAmerican Pie. AndRoad Tripas well , to have down to it . Picture likeWaiting…( dir . Rob McKittrick , 2005 ) ,National Lampoon ‘s Van Wilder( doctor Walt Becker,2002 ) andThe Girl Next Door( dir . Luke Greenfield , 2004 ) proved the reborn update genre get legs . They feel financial and cult , if not typically critical , success . Even so , it too quickly cover its 80s siblings ‘ impulse , spinning theAmerican PieandNational Lampoon“ brand ” into a stultifying number of DTV endeavor . YetRoad Tripbecome a video sequel with only Qualls and , oddly , a small framing character , bring back . The proliferation of such sequels and spinoffs take back some of the more unpleasant aspects of the 80s teenage sex comedy . They included thoughtless racial humor , heaping helpings of gay panic , unpleasant male lead , and agency-less women to exist “ engage . ” Intriguingly , those elements , and escalating gross-out band pieces , shortly became more cardinal than the sex . Sure , there live good deal of breasts . But the quickie cash-ins cast aside the awe , excitement , and still anxiety about sex that anchor the 2000 ‘s resurgence at its serious . Favored , instead , were cheap gag and an nearly dismissive posture toward anything sexual except specific parts of a woman ‘s body .
More adult-oriented ( but even so juvenile ) movie that frequently starred members of the so-called “ Frat Pack , ” including Vince Vaughn , the Wilson Brothers , and Will Ferrell , stepped forward as the more successful inheritors ofPie‘s legacy . Philips himself arguably kick off the transfer of might withOld School( dir . Todd Phillips , 2003 ) and ushered it to its apex ( and denouement ) withThe Hangovertrilogy ( dir . Todd Phillips , 2009 , 2011 , 2013 ) .
In its means ,Road Tripengender its legacy , albeit a special one : the teenage sex journey picture . In the surprisingly delightEuro Trip( dir . Jeff Schaffer , 2004 ) andSex Driveway( dir . Sean Anders , 2008 ),the sweet but mediocreFanboys( dir . Kyle Newman , 2009 ),and the truly terribleAmerican Virgin( dir . Clare Kilner , 2009 ) , radical of teen friends piled into cars , planes , and train on hormone-fueled . At best , they were fueled by friendship as much as horniness . Interestingly , they commonly include some lesson about the dangers of the tech concern of the second .Road Trip‘s sex tape panic became fears about online dating , catfishing , and Girls Gone Wild-style content .
Besides youthful attractive maybe star , these road films populated their form with of-the-moment starry non-actors ( ala Tom Green ) and recognizable comedy oddballs ( as with Andy Dick asTrip ‘sdeeply hostile motel attendant ) . It act n’t compare to the DTV slop of its big buddyAmerican Piein volume , but in some ways show a better steward of the legacy of sweet but yet horny teenager learning that what they desire cost n’t exactly what they need .
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