"Pineapple Express" (2008) Review

"Pineapple Express" (2008)

Premise:

Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) plays a down on his luck 25-year old who loves to smoke weed and is dating an 18-year-old in high school, and Saul (James Franco) plays a drug dealer who wishes to become a civil engineer, building septic tanks for children’s playgrounds; find themselves in the middle of a drug war when Dale witnesses the murder of a competing drug deal, killed by Saul’s supplier, Ted Jones (Gary Cole).

Twelve years later and I still love this movie.

I think it’s ‘cool’ to hate on Rogen and Goldberg movies since that Food animated movie Sausage Fest. Honestly, I can agree that anything after Neighbors has been subpar. Let’s not forget why the Rogen era of comedies (2007-2014) were some of the best comedies during that period.

Rogen and Franco showcase their chemistry once again since ‘Freaks and Geeks’ still holding to that friendship and back and forth banter that carries this film like a paper boat down a river or some shit. It’s honestly refreshing, after seeing ‘The Interview’, too see these two play characters that the audience can believe are real people and not just Seth Rogen and James Franco. 

Red (Danny McBride) Steals the show, in his small appearance, as the middleman between Saul and Ted Jones. There are still moments in the film with McBride’s character that have me dying, regardless of the number of times I’ve seen this film. When he passes out from lack of blood near the end of the film and is shaken awake by Rogen and Franco, and all McBride says is, “I feel like the nerd at a slumber party who went to bed at nine” I’m just cackling alone until the credits roll. I’d recommend this film to anyone, so they can witness his performance as McBride understands how to play a cocky yet cowardly character who would call a timeout mid-fight to catch his breath. For some reason, however, during this viewing of the film, I just kept comparing him to Will Ferrell in Wedding Crashers. I kept half-remembering whether Ferrell would pop in as the two characters Chaz (Ferrell) and Red (McBride), provide the same function of making fun of that one dude you might know who lives with his mom or wears silk robes/kimonos. The difference between the two characters is that Red has his motives his on play in the story where Chaz is a vehicle for the plot and not much else. Red forces himself into the storyline, literally crashing his Daewoo into the third act. You think you’ve seen the last of Red in this film probably three times, but he still crawls out of the wreckage and gets breakfast with you. It’s a hilarious performance, to say the least.

Each character in this film gets their shining moments regardless of how small each part may be. In other comedic films at the time, Hangover, for example, they might have a celebrity or comedian put in for a small part and be the star of the scene. In "Pineapple Express", those little parts have three acts, each character having a strong moment or arc. I think about the enforcers played by Craig Robinson and Kevin Corrigan. At the end of the film you understand what these guys have been through, you understand why Corrigan gets up and begins to leave to go home to his wife in the middle of a shoot out.

You understand Craig Robinson popping out of nowhere and shooting Corrigan for going “soft” because the film guides you to that point.

I like that a lot. All the moments feel earned, everything feels like it has a purpose while I look at lesser comedies like Zoolander or a Sandler vehicle that wouldn’t think twice about giving any of those characters arcs.

Goldberg and Rogen find the humor in the humanity of every one of the characters they put in. 

Whether or not you like the predictable structure of these comedies where right before the third act, the two buddies fall out and separate for some sap sad moments; this film does some things that I find to be clever with that trope. Dale, while being hunted and without money, calls his girlfriend and begs for her back. This moment should be the clear resolution, he has realized he was wrong, and he tries to mend his actions. She takes him back instantly, and without any hesitation, says she wants to marry him. This moment is when Dale gets a wake-up call, and the movie quickly changes. It’s fucking hilarious to see the scene between Seth Rogen and Amber Heard on the phone as they both call each other immature and hang up. Little things that help keep this film from being another stale Farley Brothers, Todd Philips, or a Paul Feig movie.

To me, this film is the opening song ‘Electric Avenue’ it’s not a symphonic masterpiece, it’s not in anyone’s top 10 songs of all time, but when you hear it... when it begins... that rush of serotonin, the memories of late-night sleepovers with your friends from school, better times, it all comes back in one big wave. That’s what this movie feels like for me.

It may not be kino or in some cinephiles’ top four favorite films on Letterboxd, but it’s the feeling of being eight again, having mom rent this from blockbuster for you and your friends, times we want back.

Premise:

Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) plays a down on his luck 25-year old who loves to smoke weed and is dating an 18-year-old in high school and Saul (James Franco) plays a drug dealer who wishes to become a civil engineer, building septic tanks for children’s playgrounds; find themselves in the middle of a drug war when Dale witnesses the murder of a competing drug deal, killed by Saul’s supplier, Ted Jones (Gary Cole).

Twelve years later and I still love this movie. 

I think it’s ‘cool’ to hate on Rogen and Goldberg movies since that Food animated movie... Food Fight? Sausage Fest.  Honestly, I can agree that anything after Neighbors has been subpar. Let’s not forget why the Rogen era of comedies (2007-2014) were some of the best comedies during that period.

Rogen and Franco showcase their chemistry once again since ‘Freaks and Geeks’ still holding to that friendship and back and forth banter that carries this film like a paper boat down a river or some shit. It’s honestly refreshing, after seeing ‘The Interview’, too see these two play characters that the audience can believe are real people and not just Seth Rogen and James Franco. 

Red (Danny McBride) Steals the show in his short appearance as the middleman between Saul and Ted Jones. There are still moments in the film with McBride’s character that have me dying, regardless of the number of times I’ve seen this film. When he passes out from lack of blood near the end of the film and is shaken awake by Rogen and Franco and all McBride says is “I feel like the nerd at a slumber party who went to bed at nine” I’m just cackling alone until the credits roll. I’d recommend this film just to witness his performance as McBride understands how to play a cocky yet cowardly character who would call a timeout mid-fight just to catch his breath. For some reason, however, during this viewing of the film, I just kept comparing him to Will Ferrell in Wedding Crashers. I kept half-remembering whether Ferrell would pop in as the two characters Chaz (Ferrell) and Red (McBride) provide the same function of making fun of that one dude you might know who lives with his mom or wears silk robes/kimonos. The difference between the two is that Red has his own motives his on play in the story where Chaz is a vehicle for the plot and not much else. Red forces himself into the storyline, literally crashing his Daewoo into the third act. You think you’ve seen the last of Red in this film probably 3 times but he still crawls out of the wreckage and gets breakfast with you. It’s awesome to say the least.

In fact, each character in this film gets their shining moments regardless of how small each part may be. In other comedic films at the time, Hangover, for example, they might have a celebrity or comedian put in for a small part and be the star of the scene. In "Pineapple Express" those small parts have three acts, each character having a solid moment or arc. I think about the enforcers played by Craig Robinson and Kevin Corrigan. In the end of the film you understand what these guys have been through, you understand why Corrigan gets up and begins to leave to go home to his wife in the middle of a shoot out.

You understand Craig Robinson popping out of nowhere and shooting Corrigan for going “soft” because the film guides you to that point. 

I like that a lot. All the moments feel earned, everything feels like it has a purpose while I look at lesser comedies like Zoolander or a Sandler vehicle that wouldn’t think twice about giving any of those characters arcs. 

Goldberg and Rogen find the humor in the humanity of each and every one of the characters they put in. 

Whether or not you like the predictable structure of these comedies where right before the third act the two buddies fall out and separate for some sap sad moments, this film actually does some things that I find clever with that trope. Dale, in the midst of being hunted and without money, calls his girlfriend and begs for her back. This should be a clear resolution, he’s realized he was wrong and he tries to mend his actions. She takes him back instantly and without hesitation says she wants to marry him. This is when Dale gets a wake-up call and the movie quickly changes. It’s fucking hilarious to see the scene between Seth Rogen and Amber Heard on the phone as they both call each other immature and hang up. Little things that help keep this film from being another stale Farley Brothers, Todd Philips, or a Paul Feig movie.

To me, this film is the opening song ‘Electric Avenue’ it’s not a symphonic masterpiece it’s not in anyone’s top 10 songs of all time, but when you hear it... when it begins that rush of serotonin, the memories of late-night sleepovers with your friends in elementary school, better times, it all comes back in one big rush. That’s what this movie feels like for me.

It may not be kino or in some cinephiles’ top four favorite films on Letterboxd but it’s being 8 again, having mom rent this from blockbuster for you and your friends, times we just want back.