Stoner comedies and buddy (be they cops or otherwise) action comedies are generally my two least favorite film genres, but when you squish them together, add a heavy dose of Apatow, and get a well-respected indie filmmaker to direct, you get one of the best comedies, hell, movies, of this summer. Pineapple Express is everything you love about a Judd Apatow production (hilarious conversations about nothing, copious amounts of humorous swearing, Seth Rogen) with some gun fights and casual murder thrown in for flavor. James Franco reminds us why we loved him so much before Freaks and Geeks was ripped from our loving embrace and he starting popping up in tripe like Flyboys and Annapolis. Saul the drug dealer is one of the kindest, sweetest characters I've encountered at the movies in a long time. I just wanted to wrap him up in my jacket, sing him a lullaby, and rock him to sleep. Seth Rogen is also good (as usual) as Dale Denton, a pothead process server who dreams of being on the radio and is mistaken for an operative of the Chinese Mafia by a murderous, knife-wielding drug kingpin (Gary Cole) and his crooked lady-cop henchman (Rosie Perez). Hot Rod's Danny McBride is great as Saul's middleman, Red, whose positive attitude remains intact even after he's been shot in the stomach multiple times, and Craig Robinson (Daryl on The Office) is hilarious as one of Ted Jones' goons.
But my favorite performance, hands down, is given by Ed Begley Jr., who plays Dale's 18 year old girlfriend's father. He has one short scene at the dinner table and it is the funniest 3o seconds I've witnessed all year. You know, I'm actually on kind of an Ed Begley Jr. high right now. Did you see him on the latest episode of Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job? Perfection.
Like Superbad before it, Pineapple Express is really a story about male friendship. I defy you to find a more heart-wrenching scene of male bonding then Saul and Dale's admission of love for each other while hiding from hitmen in a tree. Sure, they're super-wasted, but it's still a beautiful moment. Just try to resist Franco's gentle gaze. You can't do it!
So, I guess I'm a fan of the stoner-buddy action comedy genre, but I'm fairly certain no one will ever do it better than Pineapple Express, so this may be the only chance I ever get to say that.
GEP's Grade: A
