Pineapple Express

The triumphant return of the Buddy-Stoner-Dark-Comedy-Action Movie! Although I couldn't name another movie I'd group in with that particular genre...

Theatrical Release: August 2008

Genre: Comedy

Sub-Genre: Buddy Stoner Dark Comedy Action

Starring: Seth Rogen (everyone's loveable, chubby loser), James Franco (from Spider-Man?!), Gary Cole (who you won't know by name but he played the dad in The Brady Bunch Movie), Danny McBride (awesome), Rosie Perez (huh?) and a shitload of what I like to call "WTF Cameos"... Ya know, people you've seen in other projects, but who you didn't expect to pop up in this movie and you're pretty sure they did because, somehow, all the people in Hollywood who are really funny must know each other or slept on someones couch in college in the 90's... Like Ben Affleck and Kevin Smith... Who are not in Pineapple Express. 

Overview: 20-something stoner Dale (Seth Rogen) is a process server who likes to get high on the job. Before I go any further, I have to commend functioning potheads like Dale. I can't even drive to the store to get more Gatorade and Cool Ranch Doritos when I'm stoned, let alone work or go to class or fly a plane or win 8 gold medals. So Dale ends up buying an extremely rare breed of weed from his dealer, Saul (James Franco) called the Pineapple Express. While out and about, smoking a joint, waiting to serve some dude, Dale witnesses a murder, chucks his Pineapple Express roach out the window and the murderer (Gary Cole), who knows his weed, recognizes the Pineapple Express and has to track down the witness via the dealer, Saul. 

Pineapple Express is yet another quality movie from Judd Apatow and his former Freaks & Geeks cast. (Click on the title for a clip from the show, if you're not familiar) I promise after this review, I won't post another Judd Apatow review for a while. It's just not fair. They're all good. 

Pineapple Express is as much a buddy comedy as it is an action film. It's done in the same spirit of the Cheech and Chong movies but at the same time it wasn't exclusively a stoner film. And I'm sorry if I'm going overboard with the pot references here but, c'mon, the movie is about a pothead, his dealer, the middleman, and the supplier, all intertwined in a murder. So unlike a lot of other movies revolving around pot, this story is good! Not that Cheech and Chong aren't good but their stand-up is a lot better. But for this movie, it is NOT necessary to be well-versed in the secret language of Potheads. (What would you call that language? Marijuanese? Doobiean?) It doesn't hurt, though, to understand this going in: Most buyers aren't lifelong friends with their dealers. They just wanna buy their quarter ounce, possibly match a bowl, and then leave. With as little chit chat as possible. But here's the problem: Dealers always wanna hang out and talk or show you their newest gadget or play some fuckin' Halo or something. Such is the relationship between Dale and Saul, initially. And James Franco deserves some sort of High Times award for his portrayal of a burnout. His mannerisms, the lingo, his posture, he IS a small-time pot dealer. He actually reminds me of a guy I used to know and I wouldn't be surprised if he just shadowed that guy for a couple months to "get into character." But there's no better character than Danny McBride as Red, the lonely, insecure, childish middle-man who waffles between fear of getting his ass kicked again or helping Dale and Saul because he has so few friends anyway. 

Another differentiating feature of this movie that you're not gonna find in other stoner flicks? The less-than-comical effects of pot. Sure, Jeff Spicoli can go back and forth with Mr. Hand about pizza in class and Method Man and Red Man can go to college because they got high but Dale and Saul demonstrate what happens the other 85% of the time when you're stoned... Paranoia (which is understandable when Rosie Perez and Mike Brady are coming after you), irrational thought, forgetfulness, being distracted, and my personal favorite: flaking out. Also, I think there's a noticeable difference in what happens during this movie's action film staple, the car chase, and what you see in purebred, Bruce Willis action movies. At some point, Saul steals a cop car because Dale's in the back... Ya know what, here, just watch it...

Now Saul's car chase is nothing like what you've come to expect from movies like Ronin or Bullitt. But I think by being very tongue-in-cheek about the car chase, it keeps the feel of the movie very light and comical, when at times it can be a slightly dark comedy. But definitely more comedy than dark. Another indicator that the film leans slightly toward being a dark comedy is the relationship between the hitmen, Matheson and Budlofsky (perfectly played by Kevin Corrigan and Craig Robinson, aka: Darryl from The Office). Matheson is constantly getting on Budlofsky's case for turning into a huge pussy who has to be home every night in time for dinner. But they're still undoubtedly hitmen, as evidenced by Robinson's final scene when he becomes neutralized by a Daewoo Lanos. No, that really happens... I also realized we finally live in the age of equality when I saw the fight scene between Saul and Rosie Perez as the dirty cop. It's such a beautiful demonstration of equal rights to see that any person, regardless of gender, isn't exempt from a beatdown every now and again. 

This movie really has everything. A good story, lots of laughs, enough action to keep you from getting up to go pee, swearing, fighting, and Ed Begley with a gun. You could enjoy this movie with a small group of friends and a dime bag or just you and your wife, stone-cold sober (which I did). Don't judge it before you see it. It's a funny movie even if you've never smoked a bowl in your life. Which I haven't. Honest, officer...

Overall: 4.5 bong hits out of 5. The only thing I couldn't get past was Dale's high school girlfriend. He's gotta be 25 or older and I don't care how hot your 18-year-old girlfriend is, she's still in high school. And that's only cool if you're in high school with her. But then, if you're 25 and still in high school, yeah, not cool again.

The most awesomest part is: When Dale and Saul show up at Red's house to see if anyone has come around asking about them, Dale gets suspicious of Red and then this happens...

I chose the version with the Swedish subtitles because it

 was a thousand times more hilarious that way. Skitsnack!

What my old lady said: "Boys are weird." also "James Franco is a very pretty man."

Who would enjoy this movie: Jeff Spicoli. Michael Phelps. Harold. Kumar. Travis. 

Wait... What were we just talking about?: No, seriously. What? Huh?

Watch it if you were into: Dazed And Confused. Cheech and Chong. Half Baked. Knocked Up.

Next in the Q: Twilight. It's like the polar opposite of this movie. Another one I happily watched for/with my wife since I make her sit through stuff like, well, like Pineapple Express. (Click on the title to view the trailer)