Pineapple Express [DVD] [2008] [2009]

The latest 'bro-mance' from Judd Apatow (creator of Superbad, Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin), Pineapple Express is the story of Dale Denton (Seth Rogan) and Saul Silver (James Franco), a pothead and his dealer who accidentally get caught up in a drug war between two gangs with some corrupt cops, high school girls and smalltime henchmen thrown in for good measure. At its core, Pineapple Express is a stoner comedy--a tale of two sluggish, giggling, loveable idiots in way over their heads. This formula has made for some entertaining comedy over the years, Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke and Dave Chappell's Half Baked being two of the best examples. What sets Pineapple Express apart from these silly classics however, is the consistency of the humour, the perfect chemistry between Rogan and Franco and the giddily ridiculous action sequences. The movie retains the sweetness that is present in most of Apatow's films, making the characters’ poor choices and ultra-violent actions somehow justifiable (or at least relatable). The site gags, pop culture references and perfectly timed non-sequiturs only enhance the hilarity. Director David Gordon Green, known mostly for the understated and reflective films George Washington and All the Real Girls, seemed like an odd choice for such a raucous and over-the-top comedy, but it turns out Green's stamp is all over this film (as is his long-time cinematographer, Tim Orr) who together manage to turn Pineapple Express into much more than the sum of its parts. --Kira Canny