Pineapple Express (2008) Reviews

I don't enjoy Rogen's movies at all but was told this is a good one. It wasn't for me. A classic dude-movie to watch with your pals while drinking beer and talking nonesense.

I first want to express how awesome the cast is. Just look at that list of awesome people.



Ok moving on.

This film is absolutely hilarious. I don't think I've laughed so hard in a theater then at this movie. Of course pre ritual customs that you should do before watching this film probably helped with that, but I've seen it without that as well and laughed just as hard.

There are a ton of memorable quotes, and the cinematography is surprisingly amazing for a film like this. Now that I think about it this movie is quite surprising in a couple of ways. It's surprisingly violent for the comedy that it is. The acting is on que, the script is a little eh, but decent. Awesome soundtrack, you can't hate on a movie that has 'Electric Avenue' as the first song of the movie.

I also noticed something quite funny... I hope I'm not the only one who notices either but the Matheson/Budlofsky duo I noticed is a tiny joke on Pulp Fiction, or at least I think it is.

My favorite character by far is Red. Hilarious, sleazy and unpredictable. He made me laugh the most, and made me feel the most emotion towards his character than any other character in the film. I hate him at one point and then I love him it's like a switch he turns on and off.

Overall this is a surprisingly violent and funny film that never fails to bring a smile to my face.

Exorbitantly silly but hugely enjoyable stoner farce with a dazzling turn from James Franco as the drug-addled dealer, Saul, and strong likeable support from Seth Rogen.
This certainly isn’t a high brow entertainment. It consists of large amounts of stoner-humour, gurning, pratfalling and sheer stupidity but it works so well that you can’t help but sit with a huge grin all the way through.

The main success is the chemistry between duo Saul and Dale. The bromance between them is utterly believable with the relationship going from dislike and distrust, to dependence and appreciation, to the final acts where each would happily sacrifice himself for the other. It’s a heartwarming character arc that grounds what could have been another low-brow gag-fest.
Danny McBride’s side role as fellow drug-dealer Red is also highly enjoyable, especially during the moments when he appears completely impervious to serious injury or full of latent homosexuality for Saul. Gary Cole is amusingly menacing but sadly underused as the drug baron Ted Jones; and Rosie Perez’s corrupt police woman is sharp and vicious.

The narrative is simple and effective and lends itself naturally to both comedic banter and the large action set pieces which escalate in scale as the movie develops, with the epic final battle in the drug warehouse a genius mix of humour and warfare that makes you both tense and laugh.

Pineapple Express makes you nostalgic for all the classic buddy action movies from the 70s and 80s and certainly fills you with gratitude for this faithful and fun reincarnation of the genre.

Don't listen too these people. This movie sucked more than a two dollar whore. It was so bad I actually requested my money back, which sucked coz I like James Franco. It might be Seth Rogen coz so far EVERY movie he's been in I havent liked. But this by far is the worse.

Dopey fun is at its best in this absolute riot of an action comedy. Despite awareness that this is a product of the Judd Apatow clan, it's difficult not to approach Pineapple Express skeptically because of the fact that it is a stoner comedy, and good films that fall into that category don't come along often. VERY good films that fall into that category are even rarer, which is all the more reason why Pineapple Express is such an awesome surprise. Thanks in large part to an uproariously hilarious James Franco, this is a terrific piece of humorous cinema.

In terms of quality of this type of movie, this year has seen a pretty wide range. Earlier in the year, we got Strange Wilderness (which, incidentally, featured a card-carrying member of the Apatow clan, who apparently decided to embarrass himself: Jonah Hill). Bad movie. It's probably not the nadir for stoner comedies (as I'm guessing there's a bunch of doozies out there that I haven't seen), but it still sucked big time, and thankfully, most people avoided the pain of watching it. Then we got the sequel Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay, which was a decent film, definitely living up to the standards set by its predecessor: a few botched jokes, but still funny enough and worth watching. But what we've gotten with Pineapple Express is near comedic perfection. Just like Franco's character in the film (Saul) is the only one in possession of the titular drug (described as "the dopest dope you've ever smoked"), one could easily say that only Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen (both of whom also co-wrote last year's great Superbad) could have given us something as fantastic as this film. And no, you really don't need to be under the influence of ANYTHING to laugh your ass off. I mean, I had one alcoholic drink before I went to see it, but I don't believe it impacted my enjoyment of it, and I didn't even have the drink with the express purpose of it assisting my enjoyment of it either.

The opening scene of Pineapple Express features the always hilarious Bill Hader in a black-and-white sequence that, although it's meant to clue us into the origin of the titular drug, it's not REALLY a relevant scene as far as the plot elements of the film are concerned, but that doesn't matter, because it gives us a chance to enjoy Hader's comedic prowess, and though it's a short scene, it's a great hilarious introduction to this laugh-riot. As was the case in Forgetting Sarah Marshall (the Apatow-produced project that preceded this one), Hader's short screen time is still magnificently humorous.

Seth Rogen is a very good comedian, even if he's not a consistently great actor. But that's okay because it's pretty obvious that the former goal is what he's aiming for, anyway. The problem is that his slight lack of acting skill comes across as being a bit more problematic here than in other films he has starred in, and that is because of the plethora of moments in which his Dale gets agitated; he definitely overacts and chews the scenery more than is necessary, even in an outrageous romp like this. In fact, the only nitpick I had with Knocked Up (which I think is equal in quality to this, an 8/10 as well) is that both Rogen and co-star Katherine Heigl didn't exactly give great lead performances, or at least (to be fair), they weren't bad at all, but their acting was definitely trumped by the supporting work done by Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd, as the secondary couple in the film. I actually think that the best comedic work Rogen has done in a film was his supporting role last year in Superbad, as one of the two cops (great characters, by the way).

But not to worry... because in Pineapple Express, any lackings in Rogen's performance are MORE than made up for by his co-star's pitch-perfect work. I'm predicting right now that Franco's Saul will become one of the most unforgettable comedic characters ever. With his long hair and pajamas and his laid-back stoner attitude (which is spot-on), he's created a truly hilarious persona. Keep your ears open because there's a lot of times that Saul is saying things while people are talking over him, and if you don't listen, you might not get a chance to hear some of his best lines; a good example of this is when Dale is describing his job as a server of legal documents, and Saul makes uproariously simple-minded observations about Dale's description (especially funny is Saul's curiosity towards the word "subpoenas"). According to the trivia on IMDB, Rogen originally intended to play Saul, and then discovered Franco would be better for the role. Thank God. Saul could've been several things: he could've been severely annoying, a lame pantomime, or blandly funny, worthy only of small chuckles. But thanks to Franco, he's unquestionably the comedic highlight of this film.

Also great is Craig Robinson as Matheson, one of the two guys in charge of tracking down Dale and Saul. He had a small, yet very funny, role in Knocked Up as the club doorman. It's interesting how both Franco and Robinson had small parts in that film (Franco played himself, in yet another great scene). One suspects there's a reason why these two have now been given a chance to display their range even more. Had they been the two characters who dominated the screen time in Pineapple Express, it may have even been a perfect comedy. Not to say the film isn't close to perfection, though, because it sure as heck is.

Some have criticized the action sequences as taking away from the film's effectiveness, and some have even claimed that the final showdown is overlong. Couldn't disagree more. First of all, the action sequences find just the perfect balance between silly gags and suspenseful excitement. In these scenes, there'll be times that you'll go from being engrossed in the fight sequences and car chases to laughing your ass off. Usually in films, it's either one or the other (or if both are present, one works much better than the other). Also, those who accuse it of trying to copy Tarantino are completely off-base; it's pretty obvious that that's NOT what the filmmakers here are going for at all. Pineapple Express has its own individual approach to its delightfully engrossing mix of action and comedy, and it is a hugely successful approach. If there is a movie that was a blatant (and totally unsuccessful) attempt at copying Tarantino, it's last year's Smokin Aces (gag). Needless to say, Pineapple Express is waaaay superior to that unholy mess of a film. And to be honest, the final sequence isn't over-extended at all. In fact, it shows just what it needs to, and it is well-edited, effectively cutting from what is happening to one character to what is happening elsewhere to another, and never boring or repetitive.

In fact, I'll confess that the action component of the film was what I was most worried about prior to seeing it, since it is territory that I hadn't previously seen explored in an Apatow-produced effort. Yet the action sequences are actually pretty exciting, and often very funny. There are even moments that would normally be considered lame in other films, such as Saul getting hit repetitively in the balls, but they somehow manage to NOT make this seem like an overused gag (talk about a feat) - this also gives way for a hilarious moment later in the film when the two protagonists need money, and Dale asks "How about your sack?", hoping that perhaps some of Saul's weed can be sold, and the hilariously unwitting Saul thinks that Dale is referring to his, um, sac. Okay, I promise that'll be the last time I'll quote anything, since it's obviously far funnier to actually hear it while watching the film. Also, while there's quite an amount of gross-out, blood-soaked humor, it manages to never come across as crass, in my opinion, which is yet another amazing accomplishment.

To make things even better, there's a decent amount of unconventionality to be found here, which is only one of the many things that separate Pineapple Express from the average, often disposable stoner comedy. When Dale gets arrested for selling weed, the scene plays out rather realistically, and rather than having the policewoman who arrests him be a stubborn cop who could care less about anything he's got to say and is totally ready to just lock him up in the station, she actually listens to what he has to say about Carol (Rosie Perez), the corrupt cop whom he witnessed committing a murder, and the policewoman who arrested him actually believes him and plans on helping him bring her down. Speaking of Dale's arrest, it happens because of yet another unconventional thing that I imagine a lot of people won't appreciate at all: Dale and Saul sell weed to high school kids. And in this case, the actors are actual kids, not adults playing high school students (as is so often the case in movies), which is surely what will bother some people. Some are even saying that, because of this, the film encourages that kids smoke weed. Come on. Seriously? Just because something HAPPENS in a film, it doesn't mean that its filmmakers endorse that behavior for those watching. This may sound like simple-minded logic, but if that were true, then every film that features someone murdering or stealing or whatever is also encouraging that behavior, which is obviously not true. PLUS, as I just said, Dale actually gets ARRESTED for selling pot to the kids, so those of you ostensibly righteous folks who are accusing the film of such encouragement, haven't you considered the fact that it shows the negative consequences of doing that? In fact, as the dopey comedy that it is, the film didn't even need to show said consequences, but it does, anyway. Think about that before you condemn it. You may also want to consider the fact that it's just a movie.

Another unconventional element of Pineapple Express is that the romantic aspect either doesn't end happily or it isn't resolved, as the last we see of it is a phone conversation that seems to put an end to things... well, at least this is the case in terms of the romantic aspect that involves Dale and his girlfriend, Angie (Amber Heard). There's another, far more interesting and hilarious, romantic aspect to the film, and that is the homoerotic humor between Dale and Saul, which manages to NEVER be offensive and ALWAYS bust a gut, even in the uproarious scene in which they're struggling to loosen their binds and they sort of get into a few, um, interesting (and hilarious) positions. This is another of the loads of moments that could've felt like a stupid gag, but it doesn't. There was also a small instance of that in this year's earlier Get Smart but it is played to much better effect here, and it is still also much better than the excruciatingly painful hotel scene in Borat.

What a truly fantastic work of comedic genius this is. Although Pineapple Express is a slight notch below last year's Superbad, that doesn't take away in the least bit from this film's irrefutable success. They say that the film that jumpstarted this genre was 1978's Animal House, which I actually find really unamusing. Perhaps it was funny in 1978 due to the novelty of the whole concept, but I found very little humorous material in the film. On the other hand, Pineapple Express (the movie) is more than a trip, and I don't mean in the hallucinogenic sense, although I have to admit that the often-referenced awesomeness of the titular drug is a pretty apt descriptor of the film itself.

Light up a joint or fire up the bong, sit back, and enjoy. This is definantly a film that will be better served up with a little bit of herb. Even without the herb you will get more than a few laughs out of the movie. The movie is a dark comedy and pretty silly at times, so you should be ready for an experience that is off the wall.

Our two heroes in this movie go on enough adventures to last a stoner's lifetime. Most stoners like to kick back and listen to good tunes or veg out to a good movie. These guys get chased, shot at, and almost arrested. Not your average day for a stoner, but it leads us to a lot of laughs. If you've ever indulged in the herb, you will probably laugh along with this one.


Flash

[he examines the joint]

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

A stoner and his dealer are forced to go on the run from the police after the pothead witnesses a cop commit a murder.

Seth Rogen: Dale Denton

James Franco: Saul Silver

Pineapple Express is one of the best Comedies I've seen in ages. I don't usually like American humour, due to it's nonsensical crass fashion but this surprised me in lots of ways.



Happily Director David Gordon Green's Pineapple Express starts with an old fashioned flashback that sets the ball rolling. Pot being made illegal by the military. Then we see present day, Seth Rogen's Dale in his car smoking Weed savouring it's mindful influence, while doing a US job that everyone ends up hating you. Yes you have guessed it, ''You've been served'', THAT job.

We also discover Dales High-School Girlfriend which adds another mark against Dale, in the sense of being in-politically correct. It gets better still, in the charismatic charged James Franco playing Saul, Dale's weed Dealer and seemingly a friendship is there although Dale likes to just think of him as merely a dealer.
What Pineapple Express gives us throughout are non stop laughs, action and gore befitting of more black comedic belly roars. The plot is so daft it defies belief, as does the fight scenes that are so unrealistic you sometimes fail to notice due to the momentum of the film.

What begins as a drug related film progresses into an action, chase laden, non-serious thriller infused with slapstick comedy. Pineapple Express blasts joke after joke on screen, a funny run about in a dark forest between the pair, a Police Car chase where Franco kicks his foot out a slush puppy drenched windscreen, and the young Girlfriends parents giving Dale a hard time.
What's interesting about Pineapple Express is that it's story is predictable. You see scripts like this all the time but you get to a point where if you are having so much fun in the process you fail to care. Pineapple Express like it's weed inspired title is like a roller-coaster of unfortunate accidents in a drug induced state of madness.

I mean characters can fight and fight, get shot repeatedly,then miraculously begin running about frantically like nothing is wrong. The third character Danny R. McBride as Red shows the nature of the film. That character's can sustain superhuman damage and not die yet the film is adult and action packed. Is it serious? Is it comedy? Or is it sometimes switching backwards and forwards between the two perhaps.

The villains who commit the murder of an Asian Drug Rival, a certain Gary Cole as Ted Jones, the gangster boss guy and
Rosie Perez as Carol, the crooked Cop. They to me were 2 dimensional characters who weren't really fleshed out due to the involvement round the main two, Franco & Rogen. Things do kick off in the final segment and we get some cracking unbelievable fight scenes.

Pineapple Express is another film with Seth Rogen, whom I usually despise, but in this comical piece, I can say it's his best film I've seen yet, where he actually is funny with his hoarsely stupid voice and his mumbling accent.
James Franco remains a talent that keeps getting better and better every role I see him do, Pineapple Express allows him to do some different material and show versatile he can be, in this case a funny, drugged up dealer, with a bit of a vacant dreamy disposition.
So Pineapple Express to conclude has renewed my faith in the American comedy genre.
A very good effort, now I've just got to catch Tropic Thunder which looks fairly certain to be having more desirable effects on the genre for me.

"I just got a shipment of Pineapple Express, the dopest dope I've ever smoked. Smellll it. It's like... God's vagina."

Pineapple Express is another film from one of the most popular contemporary Hollywood mega producers: Judd Apatow. People may likely remember the sudden and abrupt emergence of Apatow when his name was slapped on such titles as The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Anchorman, Talladega Nights, and more recently Knocked Up as well as Superbad among others. Due to the astronomical cult following and the impressive box office profits courtesy of Judd Apatow's productions, there is no mystery behind his continuous stream of new movies.

With Pineapple Express, the creative team decide to take a different approach. The story was conceived by Apatow who partnered with multiple-time colleague Seth Rogen and relative newcomer Evan Goldberg. These three direct their red-rimmed eyes to the defunct genre that effectively dominated the 80s: violent action-comedy. Except this isn't Beverly Hills Cop - we have a stoner comedy mixed with satisfying quantities of action. While this doesn't reproduce the spirit of Knocked Up or the vulgar raunchiness of Superbad, the film succeeds on its individual merits. Apatow's decision to attempt new styles while he's on a roll is to be lauded.

Indolent pothead/stoner Dale Denton (Rogen) leads a tedious life: he's dating an 18-year-old high school girl (Heard), he's unreliable, he's recurrently high on drugs, and he holds down a lacklustre job. Dale frequently purchases weed from drug dealer Saul (Franco), who also often enjoys getting stoned off his own merchandise. On Dale's latest visit to Saul's apartment he's provided with the newest form of weed: a specially imported brand known as Pineapple Express. But when Dale witnesses a crooked cop (Perez) and the city's biggest drug dealer (Cole) committing a murder, he panics and flees for his own safety. Both Dale and Saul are forced to go on the run as their lives are endangered.

Cue oddball scenarios, excessive drug use, gun play and a host of supporting characters. Unlike most renowned action heroes, the protagonists are stoned throughout the duration of their adventure. Better yet, the central characters do exactly what any human would do in such a situation: paranoiacally destroy their phone calls in fear of being traced, they flee to the forest, try to leave town...and all while worrying about loved ones in the process.

Pineapple Express is a decent slice of entertainment, which is to be expected from the creative team involved. Director Green appears to possess a proficient understanding of the necessity to develop the characters while keeping his audience interested, as well as having his audience excited by the intense tone of the action scenes. The director demonstrates skill and aptitude behind the camera.
However...the screenplay is unfortunately marred by an abundance of problems. First of all, the screenwriting team never seem to discover the correct balance of comedy and action. Instead it's more of a stoner comedy featuring an excessive string of unnecessary drug scenes. The best laughs are few and far between. Even then, they are never overly memorable. You'll forget the laughs within a week. Also, there are far too many minor characters that appear briefly, and then are never heard of again. Cole and Perez appear as stock villains with never any real menace in their portrayals. The film needed to be more succinct as opposed to continually meandering and plodding.

Seth Rogen and James Franco have been great friends for years, and their chemistry is elevated due to this fact. The two bounce naturally off each other with scripted lines on top of obviously ad-libbed lines. There are various scenes pervaded with great dialogue between both Rogen and Franco. Both keep in their respective characters skilfully from start to finish. If one considers the flawed screenplay, it's possible to see the other game actors giving it 100%.

Overall, Pineapple Express is an entertaining, albeit flawed film that provides a steady supply of violent action, occasionally hilarious laughs, interesting scenarios and plenty of eccentric characters. Not as good as 2007's Hot Fuzz, but it will get its box office profits and the target audience will be pleased.

6.8/10

Pineapple express is the latest comedic misadventure produced by Judd Apatow and directed by David Gordon Green. Who take us on yet another fun filled Drug-induced adventure that stars Seth Rogen(who also writes the screenplay and story)as Dale Denton. a public servant who's job is to give out subpoenas to people who have not yet shown up to court and is also a stoner. The story gets interesting when we meet Saul Silver(James Franco in a surprisingly powerful performance as a stoner/dealer). after a visit with Saul, Dale inadvertently witnesses a murder In which Ted Jones (Gary Cole) and corrupt police officer Carol (Rosie Perez)brutally kill an asian man. does more plot come to play. when Dale runs back to saul's place and then does the does the one-liners seem to really roll out of these two pals. Don't miss Pineapple Express it's one comedy to keep you rolling on all fours