Pineapple Express: Movie Review (2008)

Directed by David Gordon Green, written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, 104 minutes, rated R.

For the pot-smoking stoner, there are some important messages to glean from the new comedy “The Pineapple Express,” so for those who do partake of the bud, step away from the bong, drop the papers, get out the Visine and pay attention.

That is, of course, assuming the ability to focus right now is possible.

First up is the film’s broader message--smoking pot isn’t good for you. No surprise there. Second, because the substance is, after all, illegal, there are ramifications to chasing it down and becoming addicted to it that can lead to all sorts of havoc. It’s the latter that is the movie’s main focus, with the film’s characters either busy creating chaos or trying to avoid it. Usually both.

From Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s script, director David Gorgon Green has made a film that’s a mix of “Cheech and Chong” crossed with an action movie crossed with the typical brand of loopy, male-bonding humor for which producer Judd Apatow (“Knocked Up,” “Superbad,” “40-Year-Old Virgin”) is known.

That’s a lot to toss into one pot (pun intended), and in this case, the result is an occasionally funny film laced with likable characters and unseemly villains.

The downside, though, is considerable. It goes beyond the fact that the movie doesn’t have the nerve to fully embrace the counter-culture it promotes, which would have made for a more memorable, daring experience, but that it falls apart toward the end when the story launches into its disappointing third act. There, amid all the gun-toting action, the chase scenes and the explosions, the laughs fizzle as the characters fight for their lives.

The plot is slight: Life goes sour for Dale Denton (Rogen) and his dealer friend, Saul Silver (James Franco), when Dale accidentally sees drug lord Ted Jones (Gary Cole) shoot a man dead while a corrupt cop (Rosie Perez) watches it go down.

Because Dale is too stoned to function, he draws attention to himself when he tries to escape. And when that happens, Jones and his gang become determined to keep Dale quiet by killing him and those close to him, including Saul, their frenemy Red (Danny McBride), Seth’s high school girlfriend Angie (Amber Heard), and her parents (Ed Begley Jr. and Nora Dunn). That’s it.

The standout here is Franco, who successfully plays so far against type, more comedies likely will be coming his way. His chemistry with Rogen is just as easy and as believable as it was when they starred opposite each other in the television show “Freaks and Greeks.” Turns out that’s good for “Express” because otherwise, without them in it, this “Pineapple” would have gone up in smoke sooner than it does.

Grade: C+