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Pineapple Express (DQ)

6/10

Stars: Seth Rogen, James Franco, Danny R McBride, Rosie Perez, Gary Cole, Ed Begley Jr, Amber Heard, Bill Hader, James Remar, Kevin Corrigan

Director: David Gordon Green

Rogen and Franco inherit the mantle of Cheech and Chong in this fast-moving, increasingly amusing comedy about two stoners on the run after one of them, a process server (Rogen), witnesses a drug-related killing. The druglord's hit-men get on their trail after Rogen leaves his roach near their abandoned car. He's been smoking a new brand of marijuana called Pineapple Express.

They flee to a friend (McBride) who's already been beaten up by the hit-men, but are saved when, doped to the eyeballs, they fall asleep and turn up when the killers are gone. McBride, however, does have some guns, including a derringer. 'I used to use this little gem,' he beams, 'when I was a prostitute.'

The first half of the film is as much of a drag as the stoners' inhalations, but things become much more entertaining once the chase plot, featuring villains Perez and Cole, plus a Chinese triad, kicks in. It all ends up in a shoot-out free-for-all at an isolated warehouse where, Cheech and Chong would be proud to see, to quote the title of one of their films, everything truly does go 'up in smoke' - even the marijuana.

David Quinlan

USA 2008. UK Distributor: Sony (Columbia). Colour.
111 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: 15.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 2, Drugs 2, Swearing 2.

Review date: 07 Sep 2008