Pineapple Express review

Pineapple Express
Rated R
Directed by David Gordon Green
Starring Seth Rogen, James Franco, and Danny R. McBride
***2/3 out of five
Want a movie with lots of profanity, shooting, stabbing, and fire? How about a story of crime that examines the war on drugs - just got Glen and DeCarlo's attention - and resultant black market? You get all of this and more in the highly entertaining Scarface Pineapple Express.
"Comedy" is too narrow a label for this movie. Look at that poster. See those guns?
Pineapple Express has enough action and violence to make The Dark Knight look PG-13. The profane dialogue and pot-centric plot helped get it an R, but the three leads in the poster are the only people in the movie who seem to know that it's a comedy. Gary Cole and Rosie Perez appear to think they're in a Brian DePalma movie.

But no, this is another gem from co-writer and co-producer Judd Apatow, whose formula - get funny people, have them improvise, shoot it - has yet to get old. Sure, the movie has its low points - a slow beginning, the cliché swearing grandma - but once it gets going, the laughs just keep coming. Perhaps the movie's highest point is a zany fist fight between the three leads that recalls classic violent cartoons.
You don't have to smoke as much weed as the main characters to appreciate Pineapple Express. It's an action-packed, violent farce that can appeal to plenty of demographics. Before viewing, take Timothy Leary's advice: Turn on, tune in, drop out.