Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Pineapple Express

Pineapple Express (2008)

A process server and his marijuana dealer wind up on the run from hitmen and a corrupt police officer after he witness his dealer's boss murder a competitor while trying to serve papers on him.



"It's almost a shame to smoke it. It's like killing a unicorn... with, like, a bomb."

Do we really need another stoner comedy? With Dude Where's My Car? Harold and Kumar's various adventures, not to mention the Cheech and Chong movies already out there, surely Pineapple Express is a bong movie too far? Well fear not because this latest vehicle for the ubiquitous Seth Rogen is a likable and funny addition to the stoner buddy comedy canon.




Seth plays Dale Denton, a process server with a penchant for pot, who witnesses a murder. Unfortunately for Dale, in his panic to flee the scene he discards a joint made from Pineaple Express, a drug so pure and exclusive, only one dealer possesses it, the bad guys are soon after him and said dealer (James Franco). Franco is great as Saul Silver, laid back and poetic purveyor of illegal substances, his character is a million miles from the stuffy, stiff and wooden Harry Osborn he plays in the Spiderman movies.




The chemistry between Rogen's antsy chatter and Franco's addled musings is pitched just right, in a tight Rogen Goldberg script (Superbad) that throws in some sparkling dialogue for our heroes. Indeed, the script only really falters with the weak subplot involving an Asian gang muscling in on gangster boss Ted Jones'(Gary Cole) drug empire.




There are some great supporting characters, Danny R McBride's haplessly indestructible Red is a scream and has the best line in the film, "You just got killed by a Daewoo Lanos, motherf****r!" The bickering hit men Budlofsky and Matheson, played by Kevin Corrigan and an hilariously childish and camp Craig Robinson respectively, nag their way through the movie like an old demented married couple.




Throw in a hilarious car chase, which wonderfully subverts the machismo of more serious action movies, shoot outs, explosions, fist fights and not forgetting the greatest pot ever devised, Pineapple Express, that according to Saul is so good "it's like God's vagina!" And what you have are the ingredients for the world's first and best violent stoner action comedy.

7/10

Have you seen it? If so, what's your opinion?


18 comments:

  1. i kinda enjoyed the movie, i recommend it

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  2. senseless but funny film. nice review

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  3. Wow i had dismissed it as a stupid stoner movie, but if there is some comedy here ill give it a chance!

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  4. Hell yeah i have seen this and i think you scored it a bit low. Its an 8 in my book, 7 is passable 8 is enjoyable.

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  5. This was a great movie, it is definitely worth a watch.

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  6. Ive seen this movie and was an ok film. I would rate it just pushing 7/10.

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  7. The stories premiss seems a bit like Connie and Carla, but with weed and violence.

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  8. I fucking love this movie!!

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  9. Have not see it but will watch it asap !

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  10. I loved that movie, made me laugh very often, I would recommend it!

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  11. It was a pretty funny movie. Wasn't the greatest but it did have its moments.

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  12. Pineapple Express was actually quite funny. Not a bad film.

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  13. o noes, why only 7? This one is a really funny, 8 at least! :)

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  14. I would've enjoyed this movie more if my friends didn't overhype it so much.

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  15. Nice review! Must see this one

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