Catching up with the gang from 1999’s “American Pie” in its third sequel “American Reunion” is surprisingly good. It’s not the same as, or as intriguing a prospect, of catching up with the gang from “Dazed and Confused” if there was a sequel dreamed up by that film’s director Richard Linklater. Still, it’s interesting to see the vibe of the original movie age in this gluttonous era of tawdry reality television and films with hijinks that make 1999’s “Pie” seem quaint (“The Hangover,” “Project X”).  Keep in mind, the Internet as a gag was still novel.

“American Reunion” isn’t merely an excuse for ’90s nostalgia, though there are a handful of references. For all its dirty gags the movie has a fair amount of heart and is sort of a naughty love letter to 1999 with the best of intentions. It focuses on where everyone has ended up and the results are mostly down to earth.

The film’s main characters, with the exception of ending up on “Celebrity Dance Off,” have gone through similar situations many do – their aspirations damaged or crushed, settling into average jobs and discovering the hardships of being grown ups. An interesting part of the movie illustrates their “growing up,” made more apparent by dealing with 2012’s teenagers than the fact the “Pie” characters have kids or lame jobs.

The thread of “American Reunion” centers on Jim and Michelle whose life after having a baby is suffering intimacy issues and personal strain. Things are hampered when they return to East Great Falls for the high school reunion. Jim’s dad is a widower now and his friends don’t arrive all smiles and ready to party like in high school. Sure, they’re all looking to have some fun, to recapture a little youth, but their lives are clearly different.

Oz is a sportscaster with a young trophy girlfriend and a failed “Celebrity Dance Off” contestant. Stifler is a lower echelon employee. Finch’s life is not what it seems. The rest of the gang is relegated to quick scenes though its cool they all show up. There are a few surprise cameos, one of which predates the original “Pie” by almost two decades.

“American Reunion” is probably a lot like real reunions – cool to catch up, see how everyone’s changed, have a few laughs and then move on. The movie tries to rekindle things like most returning to their roots. “American Reunion” has its fair share of fun risqué moments and down right dirty gags thanks to Stifler. Its humor, though the filmmakers try to replicate it as in the original, struggles to have the surprise it once did in 1999 (or “Porky’s” did for filmgoers in 1982).

That’s okay. This is a sequel thirteen years later and it’s not shameless in trying to make one. The writers clearly have affection for the original and succeed at bringing the characters up to date, especially in 90 minutes. It fares better than the other “Pie” sequels and is definitely for fans of the original, especially if you graduated in 1999