Pineapple Express

Ah, to be uncertain of the correct spelling of "pineapple." Makes you feel smart like nothing else.

Last evening I went with a couple of friends to see "Pineapple Express." From the moment we walked into the theater, I was disappointed. I was disappointed by the ultimately pointless opening sequence. I was disappointed by the easily amused audience. I was disappointed by the initial set-up, and I thought I was disappointed by the characters. Despite all that, the movie won me over in the end. About a third of the way through the film, I developed an affection for the protagonists, especially Saul. The main characters are Saul, a pot dealer, and his client, Dale. Dale is played by Seth Rogen and Saul is played by James Franco, with whom I am very impressed.

The movie developed from a little jumble of failed jokes into an innovative comedy. It has one of my favorite car chases of any film, and it laudably depicts criminals as people rather than plot functions. The movie really hits its stride when Dale witnesses a murder and turns to his dealer for help. From there it becomes an exponentially more funny buddy film (which isn't to say that buddy films tend to be all that funny). It comes across perfectly because you can blame a lot of the more extreme wackiness on the drugs, where in another film you might simply be left in awe of the stupidity displayed by the characters.

It works, but it doesn't work perfectly. And you still have to struggle your way through the first twenty or thirty minutes of non-laughable material. In the end, they pull it out and make it into something worthy of watching. And I do suggest that you see it--but not in theaters. It isn't worth quite that much. Overall, it is an uneven film redeemed by the characters that inhabit it and their lovable nature.

Sincerely,
Spencer Miles Kimball