It would appear that Seth Rogen can do no wrong. Makes me think that maybe I should see Horton Hears a Who and The Spiderwick Chronicles. Aside from those, everything Mr. Rogen has touched lately has turned to comedic gold.
Pineapple Express is no exception.
From the onset, this film's concept is amusing and seems like it should end there. Just amusing enough to be worth watching once, but nothing notable.
Somehow Rogen and his long-time collaborator Evan Goldberg crafted a near-masterpiece with a comedy that becomes more than a simple stoner flick soon after it starts. Truly a stoner-comedy-action-crime-drama-romance. Every scene delivers its fair share of each of those aspects. Every scene also keeps you drawn in and genuinely concerned for the two lead characters.
The truly impressive part of Pineapple Express is how they manage to keep it funny and keep the whole audience laughing while also giving serious drama and action sequences that can be taken seriously while you laugh.
It is a delicate balance that is maintained through the whole film as a compelling storyline unfolds.
The plot is unique. The performances are impeccably delivered. The writing is top of their form. Pineapple Express may indeed be the Rogen/Goldberg team's finest work. Their previous endeavors have delivered the same comedic punch, but this one teams the laughter up with an action movie that is equally viable on it's own.
Some moments go a little over-the-top and get too silly, but those are very few.
Pineapple Express gets an A- and will be a lot of fun to watch repeatedly.
--John Berry, Online Editor--