Review Rating: 6

Dale Denton and his drug dealer pal Saul Silver go on a hideout adventure after Dale witnesses a murder while high on weed.

I knew I shouldn’t have watched this movie, and yet for some reason I did anyway. I knew, after having seen trailer after trailer for Knocked Up and The 40 Year Old Virgin, that I would not be able to appreciate Seth Rogan’s brand of humor. And gee, surprise, I was totally right. There’s only one thing that describes this movies attempt at white-guy stoner humor: awkward. The story and the actors attempt to make humor by getting the audience to laugh at their awkwardness, that’s about it. And really, I’d rather watch Dave Chapelle fake being smooth to a huge talking joint than this drivel. The pot everywhere doesn’t bother me. It’s just that these guys can’t seem to make it cool no matter what they do. And the parts that they attempt to stress further awkwardness from, I don’t find funny at all. Really, what in the world is funny about a man getting shot like seven times in the gut, but still alive in the morning sitting down to scrambled eggs in a diner?

The story starts off with Dale Denton, a process server who likes to dress in different costumes so his quarry is easier to find when he serves them. He smokes pot, all day long from job to job, but has the courtesy to gargle with mouthwash before going to see his high school age girlfriend at school. (I have this distinct feeling that the teacher guy who gives Rogan a hard time is an actor from one of Rogan’s other movies.) Denton goes to get more weed from his dealer, and by the way, that’s where the title of the movie comes from. Yeah, Pineapple Express is the out of this world brand of weed that Dale and Saul smoke alllll night long. Dale gets his weed and moves on to the next subpoena job, only to witness a murder involving an asian guy, a white guy, and a dirty lady cop. And from there it’s a mad romp through the woods and back city streets as everyone chases Dale and Saul for their various reasons. Goodie.

Harold and Kumar have it so much better. And with that thought, it seems to me that there’s very very few white guys out there who can make pot humor great. With, I think, the obvious exception of Clerks and Jay and Silent Bob. But then, Rogan is nowhere near on their scale and doesn’t look like he’s getting there anytime soon.

I actually feel dumber for having watched this movie, but if you must, ride the Pineapple Express on Netflix now!