Pineapple Express - B-

In theaters. Rated R, 110 minutes. Trailer.

With one of the best trailers of the year and lots of buzz, I was expecting a knockout of a comedy from Apatow, Rogen and Co. What I got was an uneven and patchy film that was really boring in some spots and laugh out loud funny in others - and about 25 minutes too long. Rogen stars as Dale Denton, a pot-obsessed process server that unwittingly witnesses a murder and goes on the run with his dealer, Saul (James Franco) to avoid the perpetrator. The duo work together to get through their situation, and along the way there is pot-induced silliness, and lots of scene stealing by James Franco, Craig Robinson (Darryl from the Office), and Danny McBride (of Foot Fist Way fame). Click below for more on PINEAPPLE EXPRESS:

Franco sells Rogen special weed that can be tracked directly to him, and that is how the 'bad guys' track them down. Craig Robinson is Matheson, a cocky British Knight wearing hitman that is on the hunt for the hapless and high duo. He brings his typical cocky humor to the role, and his interactions are all first rate.

I feel dumb even trying to describe the plot, which culminates in a 25 minute climactic sequence in a rural farmhouse/pot production plant. As for the acting, Rogen's character is the classic Apatowian hero...schlubby, sensitive and ordinary. Trouble is, Rogen shot all of his bullets in Knocked Up, and his persona isn't funny enough to carry through several films, unlike other comic heavyweights like Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell and Owen Wilson. Without Franco and McBride, his Dale Denton is just annoying, especially in the scenes with his high school girlfriend, an exceedingly unnecessary subplot. McBride is hilarious as the clueless/cocky Red, the middleman that ultimately bonds with our dynamic duo. Franco gives a great lived in performance as the half baked dealer with a heart of gold.

The movie works extremely well when Franco, McBride and Rogen are all onscreen together, but struggles otherwise. I realize that there is a certain 'pot genre' that might forgive the aimless and boring plot and dumb sequences, but I don't grade on a pot curve. Ed Begley and Nora Dunn give very funny cameo performances as the pissed parents of Dale's girlfriend. The final scene, a Pulp Fiction feeling (not the violent part) diner breakfast scene, is one of the best of the year and nearly put the film at a solid B, but as I was writing about the plot it dropped back down to a B-.

I have read several articles about director David Gordon Green (from Dallas suburb Richardson) and the lack of 'meddling' from the studio on the film due to the power of the Apatow team's brand. I think a little practical meddling would probably have made this a much better film.