The Rogen / Franco Express.

Rating: 7/10 (25 August 2015)

Pineapple Express (2008): Dir: David Gordon Green / Cast: Seth Rogen, James Franco, Danny McBride, Gary Cole, Rosie Perez: Twisted yet innovative dark comedy that goes from extreme humour to heavy action as if the writers were perhaps on something. Title refers to a type of marijuana that lands two stoners in trouble when a murder is witnessed. The underline theme seems to address the mindset and careless actions taken as a result of drugs. Director David Gordon Green improves upon his independent All the Real Girls where his talent is still in its beginner stage. He brings the familiarity of the subject matter within a screenplay littered with hilarious lines. Some viewers may see it as a celebration of illegal substances with violent consequences. Seth Rogan plays a careless stoner whose girlfriend is in high school. James Franco plays his friend who introduces him to the dope. Danny McBride plays the middle man with a high survival rate. Gary Cole plays the drug lord who is at war with Asian dealers but the role is cardboard. Rosie Perez gives a gung ho performance as a no nonsense police woman on the trail. The action is brutal and a complete turnaround from the dope humour previously set as the presumed tone of the film. It brings humour out of the mindset and the rapid spiral into trouble as their so-called innocent lifestyle births its nightmare. Score: 7 ½ / 10