“The Pineapple Express” isn’t the first comedy to promote marijuana use, but it’s most likely the funniest. I tend to wince a bit when films promote such a lifestyle (kids are influenced by these movies), but here the gags are so good, the performances so jubilant, it was hard not to be taken in (or should I say rolled up?).
Following an admittedly lame and almost entirely unrelated opening, the film follows Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) and Saul Silver (James Franco) as they flee the hitmen sent to kill them for witnessing a murder. Dale’s a process server perpetually stuck in that summer between high school and college, smoking weed and making out with his teenage girlfriend in the halls of his alma matter. Saul is Dale’s drug dealer, the sort of cheerful idiot so suited for the grass that he appears high even during the ten or so minutes a day that he isn’t. The characters are a good reflection of the way stoners really act; flighty, goofy, engaged in repetitious discussions that consistently involve describing events that just transpired without actually engaging in any real analysis. But here they manage to be amusing instead of tiresome, no easy task.
That smoking catches up with them, but not in the form of an unlucky traffic stop. Instead, Dale sees Ted Jones (Gary Cole), the area’s head herb distributor, executing a rival. In his rush to get away, Dale drops his roach, which just happens to be a strain (Pineapple Express) so rare that Ted can instantly trace it. The pair bolt to Saul’s friend Red (Danny McBride), a middleman whose apparent inability to die becomes a running joke.
“The Pineapple Express” is in its heart a buddy film, complete with an ending that sees both characters blasting away at gangsters with assault rifles. Dale would rather not spend a minute with Saul, who has mistaken Dale’s politeness with friendliness and responds as if the two are lifelong “BFF’s”, although he substitutes a curse word in place of the letter intended to mean “forever.” Nothing like bonding over some quality green and fights to the death, so the friendship Saul had envisioned in place begins to form for real. The film doesn’t reinvent the wheel here (something producer Judd Apatow will never be accused of), but the familiar dynamics of movieland “Get to Know You Better” are handled with a good-natured enthusiasm.
Can I call Franco miscast even if he did a great job? His wasteoid mannerisms and voice are spot-on imitations of chronic chronic users, but his pretty boy good looks and rock solid physique likely can’t be found on too many small-time dope merchants. It came us no surprise to me when I read that Franco and Rogen were originally to play the opposite roles. Seeing as Rogen’s ability to stretch as an actor is as of yet unproven, this switch likely occurred for the better, as his verbose temperament contrasts well with Franco’s loopy nitwit.
Despite pic’s gleeful stoner vibe, it doesn’t hawk or aggressively (passively, yes) hawk the drug. I did enjoy how the film looks like it’ll arbitrarily admonish pot smoking, only to turn around and say “psyche!” Directed by art house filmmaker David Gordon Green, “The Pineapple Express” feels written with everyone in mind, and by everyone I mean those looking for a bloody, hard-R comedy. Rocking the gange or not.
3.5 out of 5
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