Monday, March 02, 2009

Not the Pacific-based sequel to "Midnight Express?" Thank god ... : "Pineapple Express"

Because I couldn't have taken the sight of Seth Rogen pleasuring himself while James Franco bared his chest on the other side of the visitation room glass. That's too much even for Apatow.

I was curious about this different kind of entry from the Apatow factory when it came out last year but didn't hear rave reviews from either the critics or my friends. Given the track record of the folks involved, though, it seemed worth a Redbox rental. Flawed though it might be, that $1.07 wasn't badly spent.

Our story: Slacker twentysomething (Rogen) who works as a process server and dates a hot high school girl witnesses a murder by a druglord and cop and goes on the run with his dealer (Franco), also a stoner. As is usually the case, oddball characters emerge, and hilarity ensues.

That plot sounds simple, yet "Pineapple Express" is a little too long and even a bit boring at times. Strange, because there are plenty of fun actors here, including Gary Cole, James Remar and Bill Hader. We also get Daryl from "The Office" and ... wait for it ... a Rosie Perez sighting! Yeah, I know! Also, you haven't lived until you've seen Ed Begley Jr. swearing a blue streak as the high school girl's dad, then wielding a shotgun. Who knew?

But the best supporting player, hands down, is one Danny McBride. While I haven't seen "The Foot Fist Way," I appreciated McBride's comedic stylings in "Drillbit Taylor" and "Tropic Thunder." He takes it to a new level here, however, and honestly is the guy who keeps things humming along -- moreso than Rogen and Franco. Calling him a drug dealer in this movie is too easy. He's just a weird dude full of contradictions, clad in a kimono, and deadly with a Daewoo. (That was maybe my favorite line. Or the reference to British Knights tennis shoes. Awesome.)

It's no stretch to say McBride is the best reason to see the movie. Even with that, I think Apatow and Co. are probably better served by sticking with straight comedy and relationship stuff (see "The 40-Year-Old Virgin") instead of crime/action. I appreciate and even applaud the effort, but like I said, it was too long and too uneven to be a home run. Still, I'll never look at a box of Nerds the same way again ...

2 Comments:

At 2:46 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Danny McBride kind of reminded me of John C Rielly's character in Ricky Bobby. The movie overall was a grown up/stoner version of Superbad. Agreed it was a bit two long but enjoyable. I loved the ad lib of Gary Cole and Rosy "click the camera" Perez.

 
At 10:52 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

And you thought Steven Seagal was Hard To Kill.

 

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