Apatow & Co. Venture into Action-Comedy...

Rating: 10/10 (5 August 2008)

...and Succeed with Flying Colors!
"Pineapple Express" raises the bar for laughs in films made by this group of contemporary comedic geniuses: Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen, Bill Hader etc. Seth Rogen shines again, but it is James Franco that steals the show this time as Saul, the drug dealer. Franco's character has some of the most brilliant one-liners I've heard since "Knocked Up." And no, his best moments aren't given in the trailer... not by a long shot.
Potential Spoilers Follow: Dale Denton (Rogen) finds himself on the bad side of both a crooked cop (Rosie Perez) and a local drug lord, Ted Jones (Gary Cole), after witnessing them murder a hit-man sent by rival Asian drug cartels. Denton and Saul flee, all the while not sure who can be trusted and who cannot. Hilarity ensues as the two try to maintain a low profile while getting high throughout the film.
The last 20 or 25 minutes are particularly exciting and hilarious, as they arm themselves to the teeth and finally throw down (in spectacularly stylized violence) with those who have had them on the run. Franco has some particularly memorable moments in those final minutes. Those scenes blend action and comedy splendidly, and neither are in short supply.
There isn't much, if anything, to complain about the film. If you follow Apatow and the gang and have seen their previous works, then you know what you're in for before you even buy a ticket. "Pineapple Express" is another classic and it makes moviegoers wonder if Apatow and Co. are even capable of making a sub-par film. So far, it seems impossible to the nth degree.