“This constant fluctuation of ups and downs keeps Pineapple Express not only interesting, but immeasurably fun throughout.”

Every time I go and see a movie at the theatre I save the ticket stub. I’ve been doing this for about 5 years consistently, but I have tickets dating back to 2007. The second ticket in my collection is the one that I saved when I went to see Pineapple Express with my mom in 2008. I remember going to see that movie and it sticking with me almost constantly afterwards. It has since become one of my favourite movies of all time, but back then I wasn’t really sure what it was that I liked about it. Sure it was funny (hilarious actually), but there was something else that appealed to me.

Usually when you go and see a movie you’re stuck with one genre. I know that is probably one of the dumbest things you’ve ever heard, but hear me out. Had Pineapple Express been your run-of-the-mill stoner comedy, it probably wouldn’t have resonated with me as much as it did. What Pineapple Express holds over all other movies in its category is the way it seamlessly blends action with comedy. This mix of genres makes the film fly by, and makes sure that there is never a dull moment. If you ever get a point where the jokes aren’t landing for you, you get a car chase to cleanse your palate and then you can start laughing again. And the same can be said about the opposite.

Now not all of the jokes in Pineapple Express are ‘high-brow’, there are a few really dumb moments as well, but I feel that the movie kind of skirts these moments by making them about how dumb the characters are. When Saul says “It’s like my thumb is my cock” while sticking his thumb out of his fly while trying to hitch a ride, you’re not only laughing at the absurdity of the line but also of the character himself. And speaking of this, Pineapple Express was the movie that made me see James Franco in a different light. Before I saw Pineapple Express the main thing I knew James Franco for were the Spider Man films. Pineapple Express showed me that he could actually have fun with a role and deliver a performance that was so outlandish that I couldn’t help but laugh every time he was on screen.

But like I said, the genre mixed in a lot of action as well. What makes this blend all the more impressive is the fact that both facets don’t just work, but their both done well. I already spoke to the comedy of the film, but the action in the film was also done really well by action movie standards. The set pieces were surprisingly large scale and well-executed, and these scenes were shot in such a way that really immersed you in what was happening and kept tensions high in the theatre. This constant fluctuation of ups and downs keeps Pineapple Express not only interesting, but immeasurably fun throughout.

Overall Pineapple Express is a movie that I love dearly. The brilliant blend of action and comedy, as well as the way it turns the stoner genre on its head is brilliant and it makes for a great movie. It’s no surprise to me that Pineapple Express still holds up after almost a decade, and I’m sure it will continue to be great in the decades to come.

I give Pineapple Express an A