Movie Review: Pineapple Express

A stoner (Seth Rogen) and his dealer (James Franco) are forced to go on the run after the pothead witnesses a cop and a drug kingpin commit a murder and then realize he saw them do it.

This film is equal parts action movie, buddy movie and stoner comedy. It's never really hilarious but often the low ball humor comes rapid fire and it's entertaining with enough good laughs, even when the viewer isn't stoned (I guess, I've never watched it any other way but un-stoned).

I don't put it up there with other Rogen/Apatow joints like Superbad or Knocked Up, but it's not too far behind them either. Like those films, expect a lot of sex and drug jokes and expect the movie to feel very spontaneous and ad-libbed. There's some good physical comedy and slapstick as well, with my favorite being a certain scene where James Franco's character gets his foot stuck in a windshield. I literally laughed out loud.

Rogen plays his usual self, but I thought James Franco stole the show with his dead-on portrayal of a lovable stoner that I'm sure a lot of people will feel like they know. He's completely believable and hilarious. I also thought Danny McBride (as Red) was outstanding.

Overall it's an entertaining, filthy comedy that gets sort of violent and turns into an action flick by the end. The action and violence doesn't feel real though, but more like a 70s b-movie so it never gets too heavy. I mean there are things getting blown up and people getting shot, but somehow it feels more like a Looney Tunes cartoon than say Rambo for instance.

This will probably become a cult classic among stoners.

7/10