Even though I was mildly disappointed in Superbad, I’m still a tremendous fan of Seth Rogen and am pretty excited to find out what’s going to happen with his bourgeoning career as a writer. He co-wrote Superbad, and he’s also co-writer on an upcoming comedy called The Pineapple Express, which reunites him with his former ‘Freaks and Geeks’ co-star James Franco on screen. Everything I’ve heard about the movie so far sounds absolutely inspired, and now one of the site’s long time friends has just dropped me an incredibly early review of the film which seems to confirmed all the early buzz about just how genius this script is.
The Pineapple Express doesn’t open in theaters until August 8, 2008… but we have an early review of it for you right now. Here’s “The Midnight Toker” with the first ever review of Seth Rogen’s next movie The Pineapple Express!
I just got back from the new Seth Rogen/Judd Apatow/David Gordan Greene extravaganza The Pineapple Express. We were told that we where the first test screening audience to see the movie (which is kind of like a rock band assuring you that no one rocks like the town that they happen to be in).
In short it’s funny. Really funny.
The easiest way to explain Pineapple Express is: if The Big Lebowski was a forties film noir with this big shambling wreck of a stoner in it then Pineapple Express is like a B 80’s action movie, a Cobra if you will, with two big shambling wrecks of stoners in it. From the opening scene, which combines a wonderful cameo by a crusty Thomas Hayden Church, science experiments, hilarious use of old diving suits, and cold blooded murder into a uproarious combo you know Pineapple Express is going to be something special.
The film follows Seth Rogen as a Process Server who really really likes weed. When he witnesses a murder, the culprits are able to track him and his dealer (James Franco) thanks to the titular strain of smoke. Things get complicated and eventually the two find themselves in the middle of a full scale gang war.
Rogen winds up playing more of a straight man role in this one, allowing Franco to be a revelation in this film. I don’t know what it is with this guy, he was adequate in Spider-Man and I’ve disliked him in just about everything else I’ve seen him in. But here he’s the main comic force behind the film, and he’s really good at it and he’s got many lines which are sure to reach a McLovin level of saturation; including one glorious moment in which a triumphant “Fuck The Police” becomes the funniest thing you have ever heard.
The strange thing about the film though is when they called it an action comedy, they weren’t kidding. While the action is mostly played for laughs, it’s also damn cool on its own, and pretty hardcore, make no mistake this is a hard R movie. For example remember that scene in Kill Bill where Uma Thurman and Vivaca Fox turn her living room into dust. There’s a scene like that in Pineapple Express, at the house of a nigh indestructible drug middle man named Red who damn near steals the movie, except that the fight spirals out into different rooms onto different floors escalating in madness until a pitch perfect beat involving a bathroom sink threatens to cause you to herniated with laughter and squirm in your seat at the same time.
The movie has its flaws, this is after all a rough cut, the most glaring thing is a subplot with Rogen’s high school girlfriend. It generates some funny scenes, including allowing Ed Begley Jr. to step out of his usual Saintly mode and play her giant douche of a father to the hilt (look for “Sandra you’re a fucking idiot” to be another line to be quoted into oblivion) but at the end of the day it doesn’t really go anywhere.
Still, I haven’t even scratched the surface on this film. I’ve made no mention of the scene in which it seems perfectly reasonable to sell weed to a bunch of fifth graders, nor the spectacle of Rosie Perez getting booted in the vagina, nor just how wrong Gary Cole’s negotiations go. I’m not really spoiling anything because Pineapple Express is just chock full of hilarious moments.
Not that it lacks any of the trademark Rogen/Apatow heart either. There’s a surprising amount of sadness to Franco’s character he’s not just some goofy stoner and by the end of the movie his and Rogen’s relationship takes on some real heart and you’re invested in it.
And for the record how the hell did David Gordon Greene direct this movie? Seriously I’m not complaining and I’m not one of those people who demands that their favorite directors stay in their little boxes, but really the guy who made George Washington and All The Real Girls did this? Did the real David Gordan Greene get stuck in bizarre world and his diamond skinned twin is directing for him now? That’s the best explanation I can come up with.
Anyway, for a movie that according to IMDB isn’t coming out until summer 08, Pineapple Express looked damned near complete. I do hope they release it sooner, because I need to see this thing again.
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Kris, all I can tell you is that the review is from someone I know very well, have known for a long time, and trust completely. I can't reveal his name, but I know who it is. This isn't some anonymous review from some source I know nothing about. The guy definitely is not a plant.
I saw a test preview for this a month ago. It did have some very funny bits, but were too few and far between. This is no Superbad or Knocked Up. The script is fairly awful. They would need to re-work this a lot to have it makes sense (the subplot with the gf is rubbish). I think this movie has become the dead horse that Apatow should stop beating. This will bomb at the box office, but proabably be a cult hit on dvd. I loved the previous Apatow films and Rogan but this is a bad film.. on the other hand James Franco was great.
If this movie is bad as "Seen it" claims then the studio wouldn't be holding it for an early August release date (blockbuster season) and this would have been slipped into theaters in mid-February where it would have been the #1 movie.
Simply put, its really fucking funny. Someone mentioned that the subplot with the girlfriend is bad, and it is, but there are too many funny moments to completely cut it out.
40 YOV was actually a pretty good film. Pineapple Express doesn't come close that that, or Knocked Up, in terms of character development or even story, but shit, is this film funny.
Saw a pre-screen of the movie yesterday. One of the funniest films I have ever seen. Seth Rogan and his gf's plot still doesn't go anywhere, but who cares their stoners and they forgot about it
I saw the premiere of Pineapple Express the 30th, I saw the whole movie. This movie was fucking hilarious, I was sceptical about James Franco's character because I didn't think he could pull off the roll. But fuck was I wrong, the combination of Franco and Rogan was sick. Pineapple Express is one, or is the funniest movie I have ever seen. Honestly way better than Superbad in my opinion, see it its great.
You don't go to see a comedy for plot you go to laugh your ass off, and this movie does that. Even if it has a couple strains in the plot.
A+
Hmmm...this might be a plant. This film looks so funny but there has been some suspect promo and review stuff. When I was at comic-con there was a car with these two guys that said it was the car from the film. It wasn't anything big or anything but while I was inside supposedly the car got towed for having expired tags. I thought it might be a publicity stunt and then I found a video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_vl5m8lthg
I'll probably see the move but I hate it when the studios do stunts like this. I dont know if they think we're dumb or what but it gets old fast.
I am glad you saw that diving suit scene in the movie. I had hoped it stayed in and you never know whether a scene will make the final cut.
I played the old fashioned scientist inventor of the B.O.N.G. (biological, oxygenating, nitrifing,gasifier ) which was an ad lib bit I did after being placed in front of a big bubbling fluid filled glass tube apparatus that made me think of .. well.. a bong. I was also one of the diving suit attendants originally but not in the footage that was used becuase they swithed us out for stunt men for some unknown reason. By the way the suits were supposedly the same ones used in "Men of Honor" starring Cuba Gooding junior.
All I can tell you is that it was funny as hell to make. We had a chimp, monkey's, dogs, a sloth and other animals on set and all in the former newspaper printing building for one of the little Southern Cal ocean town papers. It was filled with fake pot plants. they warned everyone not to shake the chimp's hand becuase "if she liked you she wouldn't let go".
One day we came back to set to find the building had caught fire because an explosion went a "little wrong".
One of the funniest scenes I have had the fortune to participate in.
It's the crazy ones that make the job fun.
I was so0o excited when i saw the preview for this movie...i called into work just to see it and........the midnight toker was right, this is a really funny movie. I think this movie is going to be one of the best things to come out of 2008!
What a piece of crap!!! This will get Seth sent back to the school of fat stupid white actors who only get bit parts because they were in a good movie once. This was awful ... no plot, not funny, no point in watching as the main plot was ... well ... there wasn't one!!!! Get f*#^ing real!!! Stop spending money on these stupid self-centered movies about nothing. Columbia ... and whoever else involved should give up on this tired stoner bit ... it's not funny ... and hasn't been since Fast Times at Ridgemont High!!! Please don't support this s(#& any more. Don't go!!!!
Pineapple Express was a realy funny movie, I went to watch it when it first came out i sow the preview thing on tv so i had to go see it. Let me tell you the movie is funny i laugh throw out the whole movie.
I thought pineapple express what fucking hilarious, had me laughing through pretty much the whole thing, james franco was great in this movie(accidental attractiveness), even though it was highly unrealistic, and didnt have much of a plot, it didnt have to, it was a stoner movie, about a dealer and some guy becoming best friends. it was funnier than i expected it to be. and it had an ending everyone would like
How can anybody even attempt to say that this movie was even the least bit funny? This was the first movie I've walked out of in a long time because of how horrid it was. There were a couple funny parts, sure, but the good parts were too far apart and it felt like I was just waiting and waiting the whole entire movie for something good to happen. By the time that the main character came back to Red's house for a second time and told him that he should go to the hospital, I was done waiting for anything else to happen with this movie. Completely not worth it and a waste of money,
This was definitely the worst movie I have seen this year. It was not funny at all. My husband and I love good comedy and this was definitely not a good one. I have not laughed once. Dealing drugs to middle school kids? What was that about, Seth?
nena chill out, that was he funny part okaay? its a joke... just because big seth sells some druggies to some middle school kids ... dusnt mean it gunna happen in weal wife okaaay???
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August 8th, 2007 at 23:48
Ive never done this before, but I have to call Plant on this one...