Thursday, July 23, 2009

Movie Journal: Pineapple Express

Pineapple Express isn't a bad movie, per se. It's just that it's not a particularly fulfilling one. While many of the film's scenes are sheer genius, others become drawn-out and episodic in a not-so-good way. And I guess that that's to be expected when it comes to a story about two stoned idiots trying very hard not to get killed, but there are times when the storylines' excessive eccentricities actually work against the story itself, rather than for it. Although the first act brings some interesting themes and concepts to the viewers' mind, the plot then sort of degenerates into a crazy shoot'em'up. I mean, I'd seen the trailer and I'd known it was going to be a shoot'em'up, but the first act of the story also led me to believe that, just maybe, it would be a little more than that, too. Forget that.

For those not quite following; the film of which I speak centers around a man named Dale Denton who ends up...well, I won't quite finish that sentence because I'm far too prone to giving away spoilers. Let's just say that both him and his friendly drug dealer end up on the run from both the criminal underworld and the local police.

Insanity ensues, and it's not necessarily a bad kind of insanity either. It's just that it's the kind of insanity that doesn't really get anywhere. Think Monty Python, but without the irony and wit. You could say it all comes down to a lack of polish, but I think it goes deeper than that. Now, I can't necessarily know, but it seems almost like the writer had some kind of specific goal, but gave up halfway in favor of an obnoxious, open, and unfulfilling route. I have no particular quarrel with this movie, but I'm sure as heck not delighted with it. Moving on.

6 out of 10

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