Apatow Productions, the number one name in comedy, seeks to keep its decade of dominance rolling along with its newest release, Pineapple Express. Written by Evan Goldberg and comedian de jour Seth Rogen, this newest addition to the fold sets out to prove that the “stoner film” sub-genre is alive and well. Express follows weed enthusiast Dale Denton (Rogen) and his dealer Saul Silver (James Franco) through a harrowing set of days as they try to elude hitmen and crooked police. In the wrong place at the wrong time, Dale sets the story in motion by witnessing a gang murder. In a state of panic, Dale leaves a clue to his identity in the form of a joint of the aptly-named super marijuana “Pineapple Express.” The gang soon sets out to kill the duo before they have a chance to spill the buds.
High Times: Rogen and Franco look to give
the stoner genre a kick in the ass.
Express never tries to mask its intent and revels in its classification: ajuvenile shock comedy geared towards high schoolers and the college crowd. The film is unabashedly raunchy, making its money turning the definition of taboo inside out. Tackling everything from sex to drugs to violence, this celebration of immorality is plagued by horrendous writing and numerous patches of dead space. However, there is something to be gained from its simple, straightforward nature as some of the players make the most of the few segments of dialogue that actually work.
Although Rogen is supposed to be the star here, he proves himself as one-dimensional, turning in the same performance from the extremely overrated Knocked Up. It appears that all comedies need a curly haired, overweight, semi-ugly white guy to channel the spirit of a Will Ferrell or a John C. Reilly. Rogen’s slack is picked up by Franco (Spider-Man) in the role of dingbat druggie a la Brad Pitt in True Romance, but the up-and-coming Danny McBride (The Foot Fist Way) steals the show as Red. With limited screen time, McBride takes over as the white trash wannabe gangsta who kicks Bone Thugs-n-Harmony at the crib and pimps around town in his yellow Daewoo Lanos (this is a car for those not in the know).
Despite the efforts of McBride/Franco and a particularly funny homoerotic undercurrent, Express cannot come close to sustaining its near two-hour running time. The uneven script stymies the entertainment by relying on the characters’ stoned state rather than taking the time to develop witty dialogue or clever scenarios. The film is officially over when it descends into an action movie parody that loses its appeal within minutes. If you are in dire need of high times, check out the Coens’ The Big Lebowski. Here at least we find substance in substance abuse.
Adam is the founder of www.featurefilmreview.com. Email comments to adam (at) featurefilmreview (dot) com.
