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FILM DETAILS

Certificate 15

Cast Seth Rogen James Franco Bill Hader James Remar Danny McBride Gary Cole.

Directors David Gordon Green.

Screenwriters Even Goldberg Seth Rogen.

Running Time 111 minutes

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Pineapple Express
Rogen and Franco get geared up in this stoner comedy

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Plot
Dale (Rogen), a slacker who prefers weed to work, witnesses a murder and is traced by the killer, thanks to the rare marijuana his dealer Saul (Franco) sold him - the titular Pineapple Express. So Dale and Saul go on the run with the bad guys in hot pursuit...

Review

If we were to get through a review of Pineapple Express without making some kind of play on drugs and associated paraphernalia, we would have our keyboards confiscated for crimes against easy gags. So, let’s get it out of the way early. Pineapple Express is a high old time. It’s smokin’. Side-spliffing. Weed recommend it. A lot of bong for your buck. Midnight Run meets Last Boy Scout, recast with Cheech and Chong...

So that’s that done - it’s a pun-free zone from now on.

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s second co-writing project, Pineapple Express is a perfect companion-piece to Superbad, their first. It walks the same path between buddy comedy and heterosexual man-love rom-com, a blizzard of gags distracting the audience from a frequent lack of focus. Even the dynamic is similar, with a fairly straight-laced loser (in this case, Rogen’s good-hearted but useless process server) trying to temper the hare-brained schemes of his socially maladjusted buddy (James Franco’s bleary drug dealer). Pineapple Express is directed by David Gordon Green, a man who usually makes slow films about people having lots of feelings in ugly houses. If you’ve seen any of his previous works, be it the powerful George Washington, or the more ponderous Malick-lite of Undertow, then he is the last person you’d expect to see making a silly drug comedy about a pair of stoners who go on the run after witnessing a murder. In truth, there’s very little to identify this as a Gordon Green film. There’s the same casual attitude to getting on with the story, and a familiar earthy look, but there the trademarks stop. It’s hardly a bad thing: who wants a comedy to stop while someone has an anguished think and considers the sky?

But Gordon Green is an actors’ director, and that’s what he brings to this party, making Rogen a more rounded character than we usually see from this charming but unlikely leading man. He still does his share of bellowing in that Fozzy-Bear’s-angrier-brother way, but also has quieter moments, and comes off extremely likable - even more so than in Knocked Up.

Franco is the best he’s been. Usually seen scowling in serious films, or scowling and wearing polo necks in Spider-Man movies, here he’s let loose - waaaay loose. His ultra-laidback drug dealer is hilarious, but also as innocent as a puppy. His chief concerns are looking after his granny and securing his next hit. He’s not the sweary, untrustworthy pothead writers usually plump for, inspired instead by Brad Pitt’s Floyd in True Romance. That’s exactly how he plays it - a man to whom the world that exists beyond his sofa is strange and confusing.
The chemistry between Rogen and Franco is effortless. Let’s be clear: this film is extremely silly, building action sequences around two characters for whom athleticism is to be avoided at all costs, and casting Rosie Perez (who has forgotten to age in her time out of the spotlight) as a gun-toting villain. Yet the leads make it ring true, or as true as the sight of a 16-stone man in underpants and a blazer, carrying a pyjama-clad hippy out of a burning building can ring. The laughs aren’t particularly sophisticated, but there’s a kind of brilliance in the pickles that Rogen and Goldberg find for their characters. There’s a point near the end where they lose sight of what makes them appealing, morphing them into capable action heroes and detracting from their stumbling appeal, but by then you’ll be so crippled by giggles that it’s difficult to muster the will to object.

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Your Reviews

Average user rating for Pineapple Express

Well deserved of its '4 star' status. Franco and Rogen make a brillant team. It's interesting movie in the way it blends comedy with violence. Imagine pulp fiction - then add in a splash of Harold and Kumar. But it's great in it own right too. Some brilliant lines. check it out ... More

Posted by Smootle at 17:58, 19 September 2009 | Report This Post

Comedies of the year, more like comedy of the century!

Pineapple express is the funniest film ever, as long as you can relate to it. The storyline is funny, and there are one liners that will make you laugh for hours. I think that it's by far Seth Rogens best film. Though like I said, to find it funny, you really have to relate to what they are going through, I think that might be why there are a few negative reviews by the other viewers. ... More

Posted by gritslipper at 11:35, 03 September 2009 | Report This Post

Pineapple Express

A comedy without jokes. James Franco gave a great perforomance and I really hope to see him go on to bigger and better things, but this is a case of good acting in a terrible film. ... More

Posted by jncorbett at 22:36, 31 July 2009 | Report This Post

What a waste of Jame sFranco

Great performance from Franco & the usual schtick from Rogen but im bemused by people calling it a comedy - what the hell were you laughing at? I think i smiled twice & both of those were Franco-induced. Can anyone tell me where the jokes were hiding in this so-called comedy ?!? ... More

Posted by davidpowell5 at 21:00, 14 June 2009 | Report This Post

"You Just Got Killed By A Daewoo Lanos Muthafucka!"

I was'nt really looking forward to seeing this after the hugley overrated "Superbad" but I have to say that this film Rocks. Seth Rogan has alot of charm and makes for a very likable dude and James Franco makes the film something great. I loved it. ... More

Posted by PaulJohn at 23:32, 03 May 2009 | Report This Post

Not bad but not brilliant either

You really have to be in the right frame of mind to watch this. It is totally stupid, trouble is there aren't enough laughs to make it really good. James Franco is great as is Danny McBride but it's no Superbad! ... More

Posted by posty789 at 15:26, 21 April 2009 | Report This Post

Rogen's worst movie...

I put this on after watching 'Zack & Miri' expecting more Seth Rogen genius. How wrong I was. Terrible really from start to finish. Laughs were few and far between and the plot was shit. Maybe you have to be stoned to find it funny, dunno. I gave it an extra star because the two lead performances were actually good and I still rate Rogen but I'd never watch this one again... ... More

Posted by The Yorkshire Rapper at 04:06, 14 April 2009 | Report This Post

Really refreshing

In a current dark period where comedies are usually comprised of farts and Carmen Electra cameos, it’s relieving to know that great American comedies like Pineapple Express are still being made. ... More

Posted by Romarth at 20:38, 17 February 2009 | Report This Post

Pineapple expressly unfunny

I can usually sit through any movie even if its a pile of crap, this film lasted 45 minutes before I hit the eject button. It was just utter twaddle. I can only assume that when watching you had to be stoned. I am a fan of Seth Rogen, but sorry a shit film is a shit film ... More

Posted by Andy9063 at 20:02, 07 February 2009 | Report This Post

Pineapple express or Weed express???????????

When i first decided to pop this DVDizzle in my dvdizzle player i grew excited and expected a lot more of a fruit based adventure. only to find myself disapointed by the amount of drugs and the small amount of adult nudity. more nudity and maybe more of a fruit based adventure would have improved this for me like Seth Rogens previous fil "Creeping around the fruit tree". ... More

Posted by Arnold@rentford at 12:59, 28 January 2009 | Report This Post

All hail Seth Rogen!!

If you like Seth Rogen and his style of comedy then you should like this. It took me a couple of views to fully appriciate it but it's extremly fuuny. Lots of great one liners and silly gags. One of the greatest stoner movies in my opinion. ... More

Posted by supertramp montana at 12:37, 25 January 2009 | Report This Post

RE: watch while drunk

This film was so good, i don't care what anyone says. The funniest thing ever ... More

Posted by wh123 at 13:40, 22 January 2009 | Report This Post

Didn't Find It Funny.

I rented this out because it sounded good and my sister fancies James Franco. I put it on last night and I grew bored within fifteen minutes, none of the jokes were funny and Seth Rogen is really annoying. It didn't actully know what kind of genre this really is, a comdey or a action film? Nah, I'm probably a tiny percent of people who didn't find this film funny or uplifting. Terrible and crap, my sister liked it but I wasn't impressed. ... More

Posted by joanna likes films at 09:30, 18 January 2009 | Report This Post

legendary

"you just got killed by a danwoe lanos!" ... More

Posted by tango fett at 23:00, 17 January 2009 | Report This Post

RE: RE:

This was hilarious. Third favourite comedy of all time. Its essentially a buddy comedy over a smokin' dope comedy, thats why i loved it so much. James Franco is sooooo funny. ... More

Posted by Izzet at 12:02, 16 January 2009 | Report This Post

RE:

Going into it thinking it was gonna be crap but I was quite surprised, not laugh out loud funny all the way but consistently amusing. Breath of fresh air for an American comedy not to ruin itself  with cheesiness. Not too bad at all. ... More

Posted by kargon at 09:01, 14 January 2009 | Report This Post

really funny comedy. it was a good time. ... More

Posted by ARmy2510 at 13:18, 14 November 2008 | Report This Post

RE: CRAP - 4 Stars?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saw this last night. Basically its a slightly more funnier version of 'Dude, Where's My Car?' which should really hit home on just how little enjoyed this film. I also don't find Seth Rogen anywhere near as funny as the other Apatow big lad, Jonah Hill, who I think would have rocked Rogen's role in this film. It started off mildly amusing - "how ya doing Sporty Spice?" but then fell completely by the wayside when the heavy weed came out and basically spilled out into a stoner movie. es it as si... More

Posted by Goodfella at 10:05, 10 October 2008 | Report This Post

CRAP - 4 Stars?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's it I have had enough of Seth Rogan and the crap that comes out of his mouth. God he is iritating! 40 Year Old Virgin was great but everything else from Knocked Up via Super Bad and goodness knows what else this guy has made is CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... More

Posted by Gold Digger at 12:17, 29 September 2008 | Report This Post

Pineapple Express

y liked this movie and thought it was absolutely hilarious in places. I thought the casting was superb, Franco really suprised me, and Rogen was likeable as always, the scene where he's grooving in the car to 'Electric Avenue'.. so funny. In terms of laughs, it was on par with Knocked Up for me, and significantly better than Superbad, great soundtrack too. Definitely don't think you have to be a pothead to appreciate this film, my best friend is completely straight edge and she loved it. t="tre... More

Posted by Talie84 at 16:42, 27 September 2008 | Report This Post

wake up - apatow is mainstream crap disguised

can someone explain how this film is by the four star code 'excellent'? this means by their reckoning it is only twenty percent the lesser of citizen kane???? not even children could find this amusing. the fat oaf who stars in this crap is only popular cos lots of other fat slobs like to imagine they too are 'sexy' and could control a woman relationship with a professional blond (knocked up) or more disturbingly, a loltia like schoolgirl. utterly hideous film that but by empire standards is exc... More

Posted by elvoys at 12:10, 27 September 2008 | Report This Post

RE: watch while drunk

It seemed to be very lazily plotted and stumbled along in a rather poor manner. The acting never really caught my attention and the characters themselves were far more annoying than funny. Maybe it will be a funnier film on DVD but on the big screen it just came across as being tripe. And low grade animal feed tripe at that. ... More

Posted by sanchia at 18:18, 25 September 2008 | Report This Post

RE: watch while drunk

When i came out of the cinema after watching this i thought it was utter crap. i was really annoyed because I love Rogen/Apatow/Goldberg comedy stylings and this just didn't measure up. I think my biggest problem was that it didn't quite know what film it was trying to be. Was it an action movie, a comedy, a stoner movie, a buddy movie? Obviously it was trying to be all of these things but that, for me, just meant that it was totally unfocussed and didn't gel these elements at all well. It made... More

Posted by bobbydee at 15:32, 25 September 2008 | Report This Post

RE: 4 stars????

Can't believe all the negative reviews this is getting. The pacing was slow off the bat and took a while to get into but I laughed myself silly for about an hour. True, the girlfriend plotline is unnecessary but that's all made redundant by the excellent chemistry between the leads, Danny McBride's Red, brilliant one liners and James Franco's unexpectedly great performance. He shouldn't be allowed do anymore permanatly scowling roles anymore - this is definitely his niche. Most of the audi... More

Posted by Gemmapelle at 23:27, 24 September 2008 | Report This Post

RE: 4 stars????

seriously ive seen it twice its so damn good, any film that has thre line "its like gods vagina" in it has to be classic ... More

Posted by RedCandle at 13:28, 24 September 2008 | Report This Post

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