Rating of
2.5/4
A Kind Buddy Picture
Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/18/08
Like a joint that has been passed around, Pineapple Express loses strength at the end, but leaves you feeling a little giddy and maybe a bit too lightheaded.
Judd Apatow has created a new monster called the bro-mance, whereas two (or sometimes more) male leads bond over common interests and end up as great friends. Usually there is also a female conquest involved but Pineapple Express forgoes that part almost entirely. The success factor is shaky - it worked best in Superbad and the 40-Year Old Virgin, but only partially works here.
The chemistry with Seth Rogen and James Franco is good. After being so serious in Spiderman, it's nice to see Franco play such a laid-back character. Rogen is pretty much the same guy from Knocked Up, a few years down the road and if he hadn't had a fling with Heigl. In this alternate dimension he's a process server with a high school senior girlfriend and a great pot connection. After witnessing a murder, he teams up with his ersatz dealer and goes on the run.
The perpetually high duo where thin by the end, but the greatest moments in Pineapple Express are the random phrases that are thrown out. They come by so quick, you'll have to think about it before laughing and may miss the next joke. Sure, there is plenty of broad comedy, but I found myself waiting for the next sly joke to slip in and catch me off guard.
The supporting cast is also good, with Rosie Perez playing a tough-as-nails dirty cop, Danny McBride as the death-defying Red and Gary Cole as a crazy drug kingpin. Best cameo goes to Ed Begley, Jr. as a father... with a vengeance. The whole high school girlfriend sub-plot was pretty lame, but that cameo was well worth it.
The body count ends up a little high for a comedy, towards the end I wasn't sure if I was watching another Dirty Harry entry or what, but it managed to mix in the funny with the gun play. In the end this ends up being a decent, but not spectacular comedy. I think it will be better on DVD when you can go back and catch those sly jokes on the couch, possibly while in a state of bliss.
