If you think the problem with action movies is that there aren't enough drugs and the heroes are too fit and good-looking, Pineapple Express may be the movie for you.
If not, you're in for a bad trip.
In the Apatow gang's weakest release yet, Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) buys a rare form of marijuana from drug dealer Saul Silver (James Franco). He later witnesses a police officer and a drug lord murder a man. Dale leaves some pot at the scene, and he and Saul, along with Saul's friend Red (Danny McBride) are forced to run from the law. They soon find themselves in the middle of a violent drug war.
Before this, Denton was an average 25-year-old. He didn't let smoking pot all day the way of his job serving subpoenas and visiting his teenage girlfriend at her high school.
Rogen plays the same character he always plays: a hefty stoner screw-up with little ambition. He's perfected it, but it would be nice to see him change it up.
Franco's performance as Saul makes the movie. The clean-cut heartthrob is gone, replaced with a dirty, long-haired drug-dealer. Franco is sweet and charming, and hilariously delivers the movie's best jokes.
The inclusion of Apatow regulars Bill Hader, Kevin Corrigan and Craig Robinson makes even the movie's small roles more enjoyable to watch.
The first hour of the movie is laugh-out-loud hilarious, fueled by the developing relationship between Dale and Saul. But this could not carry the movie, which runs out of gas halfway through.
The action and gory violence that ensues is so unbelievable that the emotional love-fest the trio shares after is also unbelievable. In the beginning they seemed like real people, but by the end they had become caricatures of their former selves.
Judd Apatow and Co. usually strike a good balance between dumb humor and touching moments, but movies such as Knocked Up and Superbad are ultimately grounded in reality. This movie is purposely crazy and, toward the end, feels like a parody with fake characters.
Though Pineapple Express has some great moments, it is unable to keep its momentum, and eventually becomes a total buzzkill.
Grade: C
