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Seth Rogen and James Franco smoke their way through some serious shit like the Cheech and Chong of the new millenium with more guns and pot plants in "Pineapple Express". A "smash-em-up", stash, shoot and crash bash which mixes comedy with a relatively thick crime-ring scenario and a fair dose of mental retardation. If you are clear-headed(like Rogen is on rare occasion), you might be thinking something isn't right at various parts. If you are high as a kite, you will just laugh whether someone is getting shot, mauled or run over with a car.
[Don't be confused and think you are in the wrong movie like I did when the story starts with a black-and-white scene from 1937.] Rogen plays Dale Denton, a process server who obviously hates his job(seeing how everyone he serves a subpoena treats him) if not for having weed along for the ride to take his mind off things. His dealer/slash friend, Saul Silver(Franco), tells him about a powerful new breed of marijuana called Pineapple Express. This little story he tells leads Denton to his next service which involves--ironically--the drug boss(Gary Cole) at the top of Silver's chain of command. After witnessing a murder at the hands of said drug boss and a female cop(played very nicely by Rosie Perez), Denton is on the run. Hooking up with his buddy Silver(Franco), they make some startling realizations and flee the scene(half-baked). [A substory with Denton's teenage girlfriend is rather pointless to the whole.] After a dizzy-ing night together, the two "friends" pay Silver's supplier, Red(a very disturbing and seemingly invincible character played by Danny R McBride), a visit which lights the fuse to a lengthy chase and shootout which eventually brings in the drug competition(simply classified as "the Asians"). Questions of friendship are repeatedly addressed(at least once in a typically visual and sexual way). Plenty of various breeds of marijuana are smoked in a few different ways with varying results/moods. And, in the end, friendship seems to win over all else.
Despite the excess of language, marijuana-smoking insanity and violence, there is a semblance of a decent crime/suspense story and humorous bits(depending on your preferences/taste in humor). I was dazzled by the potential for a seedy story and the haunting music from the trailers even though the premise didn't woo me. I am familiar with "pot movies" and should realize they will most often involve a story that isn't as much about making sense as they are about acting stupid. As Rogen says in the movie, pot makes everything better. So, I assume those who indulge in such things(or at least hang-out with marijuana smokers often) might call this film hilarious. I am not of the 420 society but have met a few potheads. I also realize teenagers(or those with a teenage mentality) are naturally inclined to indulge in this sort of movie. [I was not crazy about the two young girls sitting down the row from me giggling and gabbing during most of the movie like--ironically--"giggly little school girls". They--and a trailer for another member of the "Superbad" and "Juno" cast--made me think that anything goes sexually(and regarding drugs) and that we should be very afraid of what becomes of younger and younger generations.]
So, before I think I'm on drugs as I stare at the shape of Seth Rogen's rabbit-like teeth, I will give "Pineapple Express" 2.75 stars out of five(two stars out of four). [Rated R at just under two hours long.] If you have a high tolerance for the content or even favor stupidity, you may rate this slightly or greatly higher. It is not the worst movie I have seen by far. I could even sit through it again(after seeing as a whole) if just to relive the "adventure". But, otherwise, I stood on the fence and felt I had to fall back on the negative side. The attempt at creating a spectacle comedy seems more costly to the world(and all the cars/property involved in the movie) than entertaining.
--brainstormer, free-lance movie critic and participant in the Thoughts.com blogging experience.
[Oh. I made a terrible mistake. I'm going to save you.]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pineapple_Express
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Posted by brainstormer on 2008-08-06 20:31:39 | Rating: | Views: 121
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i actually just got home from seeing this movie at the drive in.. (it was a triple feature, -- couldnt figure out the "family friendly" lineup, started with kung fu panda, then babylon ad, and then pineapple express.) it was ok, i laughed a few times, but like in the movie he says everything would be better on pot, this is one that you would prob have to be high to really get into it.. doubt i will watch it again, unless of course i became a pothead, and we know how likely that is to happen.....
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Posted by styrafoamcup
on 2008-08-31 03:17:14
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Well, glad you agree and chose to repeat what I said:P Family friendly?? What a lame call. Those movies do NOT go together. That's one family summer hit, one newbie(bound to bomb) and a pothead movie...sounds like a hot dog/taco platter with a side of cole slaw.
Id go for the Kung Fu Panda...but the others you could/would pay me to see:P
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Posted by brainstormer
on 2008-08-31 20:09:23
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