Pineapple Express

Reviewed by:
Eric Alt

Directed by: David Gordon Green

The Skinny: Sad sack process server Dale (Seth Rogen)—on his way back from scoring weed from his sweetly dopey dealer, Saul (James Franco)—stumbles upon a drug lord (Gary Cole) and a corrupt cop (Rosie Perez) delivering some street justice. Convinced the drug lord is after them, Dale and Saul embark on a desperate run for their lives.

The Good: Pineapple feels like those goofy buddy action comedies that were the norm during the '80s mixed with your typical pot comedy—think Midnight Run with the munchies. And, surprisingly, it's Franco, not Rogen, who steals the show with the best comic moments. In fact, Rogen comes in a distant fourth behind Danny McBride (ruling the summer with Foot Fist Way, this, and Tropic Thunder) and Craig Robinson (the bouncer from Knocked Up) in the comedy batting order.

The Bad: Rogen and company are dangerously close to becoming the new Woody Allens—not for their filmmaking, but for their insistance on casting themselves beside hot women like Amber Heard who, we're suppose to believe, would actually give these schlubs a second look, much less sex.

Ending Credit Score! Oh, yes, that is the dulcet din of Huey Lewis belting out the '80s-tinged theme song at the movie's close. Talk about ending on a…c'mon…high note.

Theater, DVD, or TNT in Five Years? Go see it. It's funny, it chugs along, and it goes down smoother than your finest cheeba.

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