Felt like I got a contact high off this

Rating: 9/10 (31 August 2008)

Jovial,responsible twenty-something Dale Denton(Seth Rogen,maybe at his best here in yet another co-penned story)works his day job as a process server,and "greases the rails" with his regular use of marijuana. His habit is so strong that he's developed a relationship--indeed,possibly his best friendship--with Saul(JAmes Franco,unrecognizable in his 'Spicoli,the Next Generation'),the affable and perpetually high supplier. That might explain why he B-lines his way to Saul's when he witnesses a seedy pot supplier whacking a rival's hit man and gets spotted in the process.
A movie that has to be seen to believed, I gotta say right off the top that you don't really NEED to be a pot user to enjoy this movie,but it probably wouldn't hurt. One part buddy comedy,one part action movie and one part anthemic stoner film(rivaling anything that Cheech and Chong cranked out over their illustrious career),this movie's greatest strength is the fact that the actions and dialog REALLY SOUNDS like stoners: easygoing and intuitive one minute,confused and discombobulated the next. Among the tough to swallow inconsistencies in this film(most of which are easy to ignore given the pacing,likable characters and otherwise smart plotting)is the fact that while Dale and Saul are both heavy hashish users,DAle seems to be A LOT less affected by the ganja than Saul. Another might be the fact that DAle's love life comes in the form of seemingly normal and well-scrubbed teen(Amber Heard,well-scrubbed and sexy and,I'm guessing NOT a teen anymore)whose parents don't seem to have ANY misgivings about an older guy(or the movie is not very clear if they know or not). Nevertheless,the movie roars along in only the way a stoner buddy pic could,and does it without seeming too much in a cloud of its own chronic.
Credit director David Gordon Green and the writers for all of this accomplishment. Having GAry Cole(as the chief baddie,aforementioned),Rosie Perez(more one-note as the police arm of Cole's operation,but still effective)and DAnny Roberts(as a rival dealer who is more friend than foe to DAle and Saul)added into the cast rounds the players out well. It's a very cool movie,and maybe I got a little too enthralled by this film while watching,but I could swear that this movie about gave me a contact high. HAving lived next to tokers(but not having done much of the stuff myself),I think I know what that feels like. This film may not get busted or cause any direct Marijuana effects,but I dare anyone who sees this film and,if they liked it,to NOT feel like they got a buzz. A good one,of course.