Thursday, August 7, 2008

Movie Review: Pineapple Express


Pineapple Express is an action/comedy/stoner flick that revolves around process server Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) and his drug dealer Saul (James Franco). The movie follows their shenanigans and adventures after Dale witnesses a murder outside of a house he was supposed to serve a subpoena to. Rosie Perez, of White Men Can't Jump fame, turns in a good performance as a dirty cop and Gary Cole, Bill Lumbergh in Office Space, plays the head of the local marijuana ring.

While Seth Rogen and James Franco are pretty funny, the actor who steals the movie is Danny McBride, Hot Rod and The Foot Fist Way. McBride plays Red, Saul's supplier who provides Saul with a new highly potent blend of marijuana called "pineapple express". Without his performance I don't know if my review of the movie would be as favorable. McBride was hilarious in every scene he was in and you just know that he is in line for a starring role in Judd Apatow's next blockbuster comedy.

While Pineapple Express was pretty funny throughout it rarely reached levels of comedy experienced while watching Superbad nor did it have as many memorable one liners as an Anchorman or Old School. There were also a couple of times when a good number of people in the theatre laughed and I had no clue what they were laughing at. I would assume they were laughing at a stoner joke, a good amount of the people there were high. So I guess if you smoke a lot of weed you may find this movie a little funnier.

Despite those few issues Pineapple Express is funny throughout and is really bolstered by a great supporting cast. Director David Gordon Green does a fantastic job of blending slapstick comedy and conversational humor all the while telling a story that is much deeper than previous stoner flicks (Cheech and Chong).

Pineapple Express receives a 6.5/10

1 comment:

M said...

saw it. not bad. worth it. alison g, her bro, and boyd all agreed.