On the Big Board |
| Position |
Staff |
In Brief |
| 1/10 |
Amanda Jones |
I laughed far more than I thought I would. The stoner buddy film is a genre that appears to have some room to grow. |
| 8/196 |
Max Braden |
Franco is great, maybe my second favorite performance this year after Ledger. Fans of Hot Fuzz will probably like this movie. |
| 31/43 |
Kim Hollis |
A big disappointment. James Franco is the only bright spot. |
| 32/52 |
Sean Collier |
Not as good as "Paper Planes" by M.I.A. Still okay. |
| 47/98 |
David Mumpower |
I'm growing concerned Seth Rogen is headed down the wrong path, but James Franco and Danny McBride almost save the film. |
Doobie-inspired adventures have become a time-honored tradition in Hollywood. From Cheech and Chong to Harold and Kumar, youthful audiences have embraced the hilarity of what happens when marijuana inspires goofy hijinks. Seth Rogen and James Franco hope to set a new standard in the "genre" as they star in Pineapple Express, yet another movie to emerge from Apatow Productions.
The stoner comedy re-teams Rogen and writing partner Evan Goldberg, the guys responsible for last year's breakout comedy Superbad. Whereas last time the lead characters were primarily concerned with partying and hooking up with girls, this time murder is involved. Rogen plays a lazy pothead named Dale, who is the only guy to witness a corrupt cop and a drug lord in the act of killing someone. When he flees the scene, he accidentally drops his weed. Trouble is, this "Pineapple Express" might be so rare that it can be traced back to him and the guy who sold it (Franco). Soon, they quickly realize that they're not working on drug-fueled paranoia, but that the bad guys really are hot on their trail.
One odd note is that Pineapple Express is being directed by David Gordon Green, who is previously known for indie flicks like George Washington, All the Real Girls, Undertown and Snow Angels. This will be his first foray into big budget comedy, but it's a fair guess to say that Pineapple Express might not feel like your typical dumb stoner flick. Judd Apatow's involvement in the project also has to inspire some confidence, as his only real misses at this point have been Walk Hard and Drillbit Taylor.
Can Rogen and Goldberg catch lightning in a bottle twice? Here's hoping that the answer is yes, since there's some legitimate worry that Rogen might be settling into playing the same character again and again. We still love you, Seth. We just want to see you broaden your horizons a little. (Kim Hollis/BOP)
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