The rise of Seth Rogen in the last year has found the unlikely hero helping to redefine comedy with the Midas touch of super-producer Judd Apatow. Starring in Apatows hit Knocked Up made him a star on screen, while co-writing Superbad made him one behind it, along with writing partner Evan Goldberg. Rogen returns as both the star and co-writer in Pineapple Express, the best film yet to emerge from under producer Apatows umbrella.
Rogen plays Dale Denton, a stoned process server who buys "Pineapple Express, the latest strain of pot from his lovable, perma-baked dealer Saul (James Franco). When Dale goes to serve local drug lord Ted Jones (Gary Cole), he witnesses Jones and a crooked cop (Rosie Perez) murder a member of the Asian drug-dealing competition. Panicking, Dale tosses his roach, which just so happens to be the rare weed imported by the murderer Sauls connection. Determining that the roach will be traced back to him, Saul goes on the run with Dale from a pair of hired hit men.
Pineapple Expresss plot is highly ambitious, with a surplus of obstacles that result in a climax that explodes with non-stop action and hilarity. Where the adventurous Harold & Kumar flicks just got dumb and dumber, Rogen and Goldberg show their chops, pulling out all the stops and somehow making "weed life both farcical and relatable, thanks to their ability to tap into the human condition, which like with Superbad, again stresses the importance of friendship in a homoerotic fashion. And give it up for indie darling David Gordon Green, who absolutely triumphs in his first big budget Hollywood effort.
Although its virtually indistinguishable from his other work, Greens managed to reinvent his style with confidence to fit a genre light years from his usual fare. If Pineapple Express is indeed considered a stoner comedy, its certainly laced with speed and a whole lot of ecstasy, because the trip is the most fun youll ever have sober.
(Sony)Rogen plays Dale Denton, a stoned process server who buys "Pineapple Express, the latest strain of pot from his lovable, perma-baked dealer Saul (James Franco). When Dale goes to serve local drug lord Ted Jones (Gary Cole), he witnesses Jones and a crooked cop (Rosie Perez) murder a member of the Asian drug-dealing competition. Panicking, Dale tosses his roach, which just so happens to be the rare weed imported by the murderer Sauls connection. Determining that the roach will be traced back to him, Saul goes on the run with Dale from a pair of hired hit men.
Pineapple Expresss plot is highly ambitious, with a surplus of obstacles that result in a climax that explodes with non-stop action and hilarity. Where the adventurous Harold & Kumar flicks just got dumb and dumber, Rogen and Goldberg show their chops, pulling out all the stops and somehow making "weed life both farcical and relatable, thanks to their ability to tap into the human condition, which like with Superbad, again stresses the importance of friendship in a homoerotic fashion. And give it up for indie darling David Gordon Green, who absolutely triumphs in his first big budget Hollywood effort.
Although its virtually indistinguishable from his other work, Greens managed to reinvent his style with confidence to fit a genre light years from his usual fare. If Pineapple Express is indeed considered a stoner comedy, its certainly laced with speed and a whole lot of ecstasy, because the trip is the most fun youll ever have sober.
