Film

'Pineapple Express': A High-larious Action Comedy

By Marcos Bernal-Salas

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

The latest Judd Apatow Productions film, ‘Pineapple Express’ is the latest attempt of the filmmaking team to tackle action-comedy. The results are hilarious, but they’re specifically designed – in the lack of a better word – for the stoner crowd and fans of the Apatow School of comedy. ‘Pineapple Express’ is nothing like ‘Knocked Up’, ‘Superbad’ or ‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin’ where the writers focused on coming-of-age stories or the hardships of relationships with the much needed twisted humor that reflected some truth and reality. Instead ‘Pineapple Express’ takes the audience on a high-on-weed roller coaster ride full of inexplicable – and even ridiculous – circumstances.

The story is about Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) and Saul Silver (James Franco) who are not friends per se – at least at the start of the film. Saul is Dale’s pot provider – a valuable customer nonetheless – who buys one of the rare strains of pot called Pineapple Express. But then Dale becomes witness to a random murder and leaves behind the potent drug at the scene suddenly the runaway car takes off with Saul and Dale running for their lives – whether or not it might just simply be a weed-induced episode.

‘Pineapple Express’ starts off as buddy comedy building on the relationship between two very unlikely characters. Dale is a process server who enjoys his job and wants to become a radio talk show host. Saul on the other hand is the quintessential stoner and drug dealer. The odds of the circumstances bring them together and like any relationship the story goes through the different emotions and hilarious episodes between the two. This is where the film shines, and Rogen delivers the iconic lines throughout his script. James Franco’s Saul is simply mind-boggling and unexpected; he is simply a brilliant stoner.

Rosie Perez and Gary Cole play the villainous duo running after Dale and company. Each playing the stereotypical characters they are given and enjoying it. I never seen two actors really ham it up for a film and have the results work so well for the premises of the story. ‘Pineapple Express’ is a surprising and hilarious film and perhaps a gamble in the end of the summer season. But overall, a well done and weed induced action-comedy.

Check out ‘Pineapple Express’ Official Site