Pineapple Express - Review

Ok, let’s go ahead and get this out of the way… This movie’s main two characters are potheads and there are a lot of pot references. Based on that statement alone should be an indication if this movie will appeal to you or not. With that out of the way, the big question for me was, “Will I laugh because I don’t have a clue about the world of marijuana?” The answer was a resounding yes. Once again a Judd Apatow-produced film shines in its actors’ comedic timing, sharp dialogue and scenarios that make you shake your head while holding back a grin.

In Pineapple Express, the only thing that Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) has going in his mid 20-year-old life is his job serving subpoenas, his high school girlfriend and his pot, which he is more than comfortable with. Suddenly, he has to take on more responsibility then he’s ever faced when accidentally witnessing a murder by the hands of an infamous drug lord (Gary Cole) and a crooked cop (Rosie Perez). Not really knowing what to do, Dale quickly enlists his harmless drug dealer (James Franco) to help him get of the mess. Their “business” relationship is suddenly thrown into a world of violence, crime bosses and friendship that is a little much for the combination of grass and stupidity that is flowing in their system.

This movie has the slapstick of a Dumb and Dumber, but brings the ridiculous, yet real dialogue that you come to expect form the world of Judd Apatow. I wonder how many of the lines actually came from the script as every exchange from Seth Rogen and James Franco feel authentic, improvised and hilarious. It’s not so much what they say, but how they react that brings a real world connection to the audience. Yet, there are fight scenes, car chases and big explosions that will satisfy any summer blockbuster fan.

Seth Rogen proves that Knocked Up was not a fluke as he takes on the leading-man role with ease and I think James Franco has missed his calling as a comedic actor. A lot of laughs also come from Danny McBride (Hot Rod), who feels like an improvisational genius, and Craig Robinson, who many people would recognize as Darryl from the T.V. show The Office. Unfortunately, like most off-the-cuff comedies, the plot starts to slow down the comedic pacing. By the last 30 minutes, the movie turns into a wall of exuberant gunshots, explosions and blood, and I just wanted to return to the situational comedy.

Pineapple Express shies away from a lot of sexual jokes, but has pervasive strong language. Take that element away and the violence would still earn it a R-rating, so hopefully by now you should know that younger viewers shouldn’t see this. If you can handle a film like this, you’ll laugh and have a great time. If not, you won’t find much redemptive quality in it. I know it sounds ridiculous, but there is a lot of brains behind this pothead comedy and I wonder if the genius could ever go in a cleaner direction. Regardless, I had a lot of fun and give Pineapple Express 3.75 out of 5 red slurpees.