Pineapple Express (2008)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

David Gordon Green

Writers (WGA):

Seth Rogen (screenplay) &
Evan Goldberg (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

6 August 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Put this in your pipe and smoke it.

Plot:

A stoner and his dealer are forced to go on the run from the police after the pothead witnesses a cop commit a murder.

Plot Keywords:

Stoner | Weed | Murder | On The Run | Witness

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Seth Rogen	...	Dale Denton
James Franco	...	Saul Silver
Danny McBride	...	Red
Kevin Corrigan	...	Budlofsky
Craig Robinson	...	Matheson
Gary Cole	...	Ted Jones
Rosie Perez	...	Carol / Female Cop
Ed Begley Jr.	...	Robert
Nora Dunn	...	Shannon
Amber Heard	...	Angie Anderson
Joe Lo Truglio	...	Mr. Edwards
Arthur Napiontek	...	Clark
Cleo King	...	Police Liaison Officer
Bill Hader	...	Private Miller
James Remar	...	General Bratt

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive language, drug use, sexual references and violence.

Runtime:

111 min | USA:117 min (unrated version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Cantonese | Korean

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #43851) | Australia:MA | UK:15 (cut theatrical version) | Finland:K-15 | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:16 (cut theatrical version) | Singapore:M18 (cut) | New Zealand:R16 | UK:18 (uncut DVD version) | Philippines:R-18 (MTRCB) | Netherlands:16 | South Africa:16LV | Sweden:15 | Ireland:18 (DVD rating) | Peru:18 | Italy:VM14 | Malaysia:(Banned) | South Korea:18 | Argentina:16 | Norway:15 | Iceland:14 (video rating) | Iceland:16 (theatrical rating) | France:U | Brazil:18 | Germany:16 (nf)

Filming Locations:

Glendale, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures

Trivia:

The police information states that Dale Denton is 5'9, though Seth Rogen himself stands at 5'11.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Dale shouts at Saul to turn on the windshield wipers in the squad car, he says they don't work, but if you look carefully at Saul's Hand, he's just clicking the turn signal up and down; not actually turning any knobs which would turn on the windshield wipers.

Quotes:

Saul: [Reaches for Dale's hand, trying to pull him into the air vent] Give it to me!
Dale Denton: Come on!
Saul: Be taller!
Dale Denton: [Gives up] Be stronger!

Movie Connections:

References Zapped! (1982)

Soundtrack:

Time Will Tell

Average comedy with a few highs

Rogen and Apatow are probably responsible for the bulk of half-decent comedies coming out of Hollywood these days, although even they are prone to the occasional dud. This one - which definitely isn't a dud - follows the misadventures of Saul, a minor league drug dealer and his best customer Dale Denton, a going-nowhere process server who find themselves on the run from both cops and villains after Dale witnesses the murder of a man by Ted (Gary Cole), another drug dealer a couple of dozen rungs up the ladder from Saul.

The story is an uneasy combination of low-level humour and violent action, a curious choice which, together with a protracted final sequence, is one of the film's major weaknesses. Where the film scores is with the central performances from James Franco and Seth Rogen as the hapless heroes who spend most of their time either in a narcotic haze or a state of high anxiety. Rogen pretty much repeats his trademark affable everyman which has stood him in good stead so far and still seems to be working well. James Franco maybe isn't as well known for comic performances but he holds his own against Rogen. Danny McBride also scores as Red, the duo's luckless friend whose survival of a succession of fatal injuries harks back to the violent Warner cartoons of the 40s and 50s.

To be honest, the biggest laughs were all up there in the trailer, but there's enough here to keep you entertained, even if a slightly too long running time means you won't be too disappointed when the final credits roll.