S5 - E2: Revisiting Pineapple Express: A Look into Comedy Evolution in Film

Strap in folks, as we embark on a journey back in time, revisiting the comedy gold of Seth Rogan's Pineapple Express. It's more than just a movie; it's a cultural phenomenon that left an indelible mark on the cannabis comedy genre. We'll be dissecting the iconic performances by Seth Rogan, James Franco, and Danny McBride, and pay tribute to the surprising standout role of Raiden from the Mortal Kombat films. Let's take a walk down memory lane, reliving the laughs and the moments that have kept this film a favorite among audiences worldwide.

Synopsis
 Dale Denton's played by (Seth Rogen) enjoys a rare strain of marijuana that may prove fatal when he drops his roach in a panic after witnessing a murder. When learning that the rare strain of weed can be traced back to them, Dale and his dealer played by (James Franco) go on the run to avoid a dangerous drug lord played by (Gary Cole) and crooked cop (Rosie Perez) hot on their heels.

1. Your first impression of "Pineapple Express"  ?
Charles and Ralf give their opinions. Discussing the first half of the movie.

2. Is "Pineapple Express" considered a cult classic in 420 culture ? 
Charles and Ralf give their opinions.

3. Did Seth Rogen showcase a lot of comedic talent in this movie ?
Charles and Ralf give their opinions.

4.  Favorite character in this movie ?
Charles and Ralf give their opinions.

5. Things that you thought were hilarious about this movie ?
Charles and Ralf give their opinions.

6. If "Pineapple Express" was a strain of bud how many puffs on a scale of one to five would have to hit before passing to this next person hit ? 

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Chapters

• 0:00 Discussion on Pineapple Express Movie Review
• 11:57 The Decline of Comedy in Film
• 21:36 Movie Analysis
• 26:13 Comparing Two Comedy Films

Transcript

Discussion on Pineapple Express Movie Review

Speaker 1 0:00

What's up? What's up to all the bleaks out there. I'm your host, charles, and you're now listening to a tribe called Bleak Podcast, and I have my great co-host, ralph, with me. Hey, and as you guys already know, this is a 420 movie review season. Everything 420 as far as the classics, the movies that you guys know and love either the bleaks who like to roll some up or, if you just like to be sober and watch these still in the classics, ralph and I are going to discuss them with you. Just a little bit of info too, guys. I've already created this site, still under development. Some of you guys have already checked it out. I appreciate the feedback. There's a lot more things to come with it, just bear with me. But I will let you guys know that it is out there and I'll have the information posted.

Speaker 1 0:43

But for today's episode, we'll talk about a movie that just really has stood to me, like now, the test of time. It's one of my favorites. Even if you're not even 420 friendly, like it is just a, it's a damn good comedy. Yeah, oh yeah. And we're gonna go ahead and talk about Pineapple Express, seth Rogan's movie. It's no stranger. He's no stranger in the world of cannabis. In fact he, you know, has written this movie.

Speaker 1 1:18

So some of your bleaks are already aware of this and I'm just gonna go into a quick synopsis for the police who might have not seen the movie. And what it is is a character Dale didn't play by Seth Rogan. He's enjoying a rare strain of marijuana that might prove fatal when he drops the roach and after witnessing a murder, I'm learning that the rare strain of marijuana can be traced back to him. Saw his dealer play by James Franco and him gone is crazy ass adventure. And let me tell you it's almost like it's actually good bro it. To me it's almost like die hard meets, like a cannabis movie, because this is so much going on with it. But we're gonna just go ahead and get right into it. And for the first question for you, ralph, your first impression of pineapple express.

Speaker 2 2:14

I thought those, I thought those crazy, like you could tell that the actors in the movie was just having fun, like it just seemed like a bunch of friends got together was like, hey, let's make this movie about pineapple express and then see it, see where it goes, and like there's like a scene where the the warehouse that they went to where they had all the drugs like explodes and then like Saul escapes and then like he's like he's being carried out by Seth's character Dale did, and then whenever he like lays them in the grass. If you look at Saul's face it looks like Saul is legit laughing and it probably just took it out of San.

Speaker 1 2:58

Francisco. Okay, all right, I'll say this man for that movie. One of the things that stood out to me in the intro was that they were testing marijuana on one of these soldiers.

Speaker 2 3:11

Yeah, like that facility that you're watching a different movie.

Speaker 1 3:15

Yeah, because they had like a whole serious aesthetic and then it was like item nine. Yeah, I was like illegal and the guys like so how do you feel right now? The soldiers like smoking but he's like, well, I feel like butter and flapjacks, yeah, okay okay, so yeah and he was speaking his mom because he was just like military lots of dudes, murder movies, like just saying things like that she's like how do you feel about your superiors?

Speaker 1 3:42

you're like jazz solo and you know I'm gonna pull up some to cast on here because it's there's actually quite a few people like convenience actors, like there's a lot of people in this movie oh well, another.

Speaker 1 4:02

Okay. So here's a person that stood out to me right, he wasn't even in the movie for that long. I'm gonna pull him up. He played Raiden, I believe, in Mortal Kombat, one or two, I just can't remember, but he was in the Warriors. He was one of the guys who was messing with the fake prostitute who was a cop. I'm gonna pull him up right now because the name is like it escapes me right now.

Speaker 2 4:31

But okay, yeah, cuz I couldn't even picture it raiding, cuz I raided was played. You look like some white dude, play right no, no, but he played him too. He played and he played. Yeah, I remember about raided in the old school. Mortal Kombat is he was like a white guy. Even then, as a kid I thought that was different yeah, I mean before the bleak stuff there.

Speaker 1 4:49

If you guys haven't seen the movie, the cast has Seth Rogen, james Franco, danny McBride which, for Danny McBride, to me it's interesting to see, like all of her youth, but especially his, because he doesn't sound or look the same as he wants today. Right now, because you know with the beard and the deeper voice and everything else.

Speaker 1 5:11

It's crazy different any sounds completely different and I was just I said, damn, that's Danny McBride, but they back, it's like. Oh, like now I feel like he's like the serious, funny asshole in movies. Yeah, it's also done for right. Yeah, well, he was in the movie, I believe, alien Covenant or Prometheus or something like that.

Speaker 2 5:30

Yeah, but didn't also help with Halloween ends probably.

Speaker 1 5:34

I mean he's. He said quite a few things.

Speaker 2 5:38

He's right.

Speaker 1 5:38

Oh yeah, I'm quite sure of it, and that's the thing, like the whole cast itself really just grabbed my attention. And the first time I had ever seen this movie I was when I was deployed overseas. I had never heard of it, I had never seen it, and I remember I was on the mess deck on ship and I just remember everybody was laughing. I was like what the hell is this movie? And then, you know, I think at that time it might have been like there, you're too old, or something like that, because I think it came out nose seven, if I'm not mistaken. No, no way. Oh wait. So for the bleak south there.

Speaker 2 6:16

It's away.

Speaker 1 6:16

Oh wait, Now during the election of Obama right, and it was just um, I the thing is about the movie, one of the parts, I think, in the trailer right, I could be wrong the part that got me, I think and I think this was the beginning of the trailer, right how Dale is talking on the payphone with his girlfriend at that time and he's like you know, you're it, you're everything, blah, blah, blah, and his girlfriend's like dude, I just I love you, I want to marry you. He's a Clearly.

Speaker 1 6:55

And another part to me about that movie too, because it's just so like for the police. Y'all hear us laughing. It will have you like that, like this movie will get you like that for 420.

Speaker 2 7:06

You be laughing, like you are, like you're high office something if that movie was just done so well.

Speaker 1 7:13

But the part where like he's like driving right and he's like serving papers as a process server, and then he's like he's on the radio and then this woman's talking to him, he goes like well, some people might think me dating an 18 year old, is there man? Or something like that. And she goes like the lady on the radio is it was long as this consistent he goes. So I like how I had to intellect. And another thing too I live about the movie the Electric Avenue scene. Oh, he's like.

Speaker 2 7:45

Vertical walk down to.

Speaker 1 7:48

Avenue and you know, and he's just like serving all these papers and people get pissed off. Don't get a fucking job, you asshole.

Speaker 2 7:55

Like well, that was interesting, though it's like the movie looks like it takes place like over four days, if not three days, if you like. Sit there and look at the movie like how many times it hits night, how many days is spent in the movie, and throughout the whole movie delt in this wearing the same exact thing. The only wardrobe change does is in the beginning, whenever he's doing the process. Oh yeah, that's the only time, but the rest of the movies Same with the pothead. The only one who does the most wardrobe changes is Ted.

Speaker 1 8:28

Ted and I think it. Yeah, I think yeah it's 72 hours because, um, I Think, like is he gets high at Souls plays and it sees the murder and a hideout camp out, and then oh yeah, but like it Opens up, then runs away with, so they go stay in the damn woods.

Speaker 2 8:56

They try to get a caterpillar high.

Speaker 1 8:58

Yeah, yeah, that shit was Then.

Speaker 2 9:01

Then it's the next day, so you got day two already, like there's been that day trying to figure out what to do. They're looking at the time and he's like three already. They like Can't be 3 am.

Speaker 1 9:17

They went forward an hour. It was like in the spring time when this movie was taking place. So let's go into the second talking point. Question for you Is pineapple express considered a cult classic and 420 culture?

Speaker 2 9:33

I believe so. I believe so. I believe it's up there with all the other classics, with all the teaching tongue movies. How high the like, all the all different classics that's out there. I believe it's up there with them.

Speaker 1 9:47

I say so too. You know what one thing I can appreciate about about that movie is that, oh, you know, like you had, like we talked about in a prior episode For Friday right, like, oh, that was more catered towards us, even though, like, a lot of people love that movie. Yeah, I felt like what pineapple Express? It was like Like it didn't matter if you were black, white, like the comedy Worked for every like. Yeah, yeah, sir, it's a race where you were you could not help with to laugh, because I'm thinking about Seth Rogen. He was on the 420 episode. Was Snoop Dogg to Snoop, invited him Right on her to get high and talk about, because he's a he's a fan of Seth Rogen. Seth Rogen has had some very, very funny movies. He's written lots of successes.

Speaker 1 10:32

Yeah, uh, there's a lot of, you know, black entertainers who are fans of Seth Rogen. Yeah oh, and One thing about Seth is that you know I like how he genuinely wants to make something that makes people laugh. Yeah, he makes it work.

Speaker 2 10:50

Behind the boys. Yes, yes, he's actually one of the screenplay writers for that and, like he was also behind new Ninja Turtles movie.

Speaker 1 11:00

Yes, and it was just as the more I learned about him. I was watching an interview about how from Tyler, the creator. Yeah and how he was on the show called freaks and geeks.

Speaker 2 11:15

I've heard of the show I just never watched. It didn't seem like they know interests me.

Speaker 1 11:19

But I, yeah, like for Tyler, that was one of his favorite. He was. He's such a big Seth Rogen fan. Yeah, he interviewed him. He's a yeah, but I see all your movies and the shows and I just love your work. So I you know, I think Seth is very talented, which you know goes into our third talking point, which we've already answered a little bit, but we can elaborate. Yeah, did Seth Rogen showcase a lot of comment comedic talent in this movie for you.

Speaker 2 11:47

Yeah, yeah, he did. But I mean I mean he's just, he's just that guy, he's just to me he's just fun.

The Decline of Comedy in Film

Speaker 1 11:56

Yeah, yeah. Well, I feel like this for certain comedians you have comedians who do great at stand up yes, and only stand up like you put them in a movie and you know, yeah, man, he has somewhere great with movies. Yeah, you stand up for shit. And they have very few, or good at both, who can balance both extremely well. One person I always thought was perfect for that at that was Eddie Murphy. Yeah, it was still already only few who could just he's only got two stand-ups though but that's all you ever need.

Speaker 1 12:29

But it's just enough for me to believe that, hey, he can do it if he wanted to, because people would pay to see Eddie Murphy, oh yeah.

Speaker 2 12:37

Oh well, like most stand-up comedians dreams is to have like a hit TV series. Oh yeah, like a comedy movie or something that they get into. So that's usually like the hopes of a lot of Stand-up comedians. But like like what you said, though there's stand-up comedians it's real good at stand, but then you put them in a movie, oh dude, it's just like. It's kind of like.

Speaker 1 12:59

It's kind of like battle rappers, like yeah, but they can't do a commercial success. And that's fine, you know, and it's not. Look, everybody has a forte. Yeah, not all this are gonna be talented in all avenues. I just felt like and again it may be set, this don't stand up, I haven't seen it.

Speaker 2 13:19

I haven't either. I don't even know. Yeah, I'm not familiar.

Speaker 1 13:22

If he has, but I will say that he Really showcased a lot of comedic talent for this movie. I think he's written super bad.

Speaker 1 13:31

Yeah, yeah he did that one and, if I'm not mistaken, I actually hell. He was in it to play with cops. So you know, he's really just. I have really big talent. But I'll say this though I feel like his time of his prime comedy movies that you know, starting he wrote we're like 2007 to 2012, that was kind of like that. You know Super bad and pineapple express. You know, you know all the type of movies that yeah, you know I'm not, that was like another.

Speaker 2 14:03

Yeah, you know what?

Speaker 1 14:04

I mean, yeah, they did, they were, they were good, but that was like really that era of that comedy and you know it's crazy to say this and you can tell me how you feel about this. I was talking to someone about this the other day. Right, I feel like now, but so it's hard. I feel like our is, like you said, become a more thriller. We're gonna see more thriller, but I feel like now I'll be honest with you, man, comedy is not a genre I've really see promoted like that anymore.

Speaker 2 14:32

It's not and I believe the reason why is because I had to go this route with it. But a lot of people say it like more people seem to be more sensitive, like you got it politics Culture yeah, or comedic wise back in the day, than what you do now.

Speaker 2 14:51

Now it seems like it'd be hard to do like it, like you can't do a Don't drink a juice in South Central or what it was. It Don't be missed minute, I do all the juice and you couldn't do that nowadays. You couldn't. You couldn't do the airplane.

Speaker 2 15:10

Oh, yeah, yeah oh yeah, it's like there's a lot of movies like you couldn't do that now. They're like there's a whole scene in the airplane movie where they were trying to figure out what these black people were saying. And then, like the white Lady, I think she was either the mom off the Brady bunch or she was a mom off the family ties. She was often one of them white family shows. But like she was like oh, I know how to speak, jive Can't get away.

Speaker 1 15:32

No, yeah, it's one of those things like you not discussed, like I feel like now, if they were to do more, I feel like now, honestly, stoner movies are like just mostly the comedy, really the comedies that you see, because I can't think of a comedy that has really stood out recently because, everything's been so.

Speaker 2 15:57

Marvel, sci-fi, action, spy John Wick, if you want like straight comedy, you would have to just see a stand-up form.

Speaker 1 16:06

For a sitcom. I feel like sitcom has the only thing to do when they see comedy.

Speaker 2 16:10

But I'm talking just like comedy, just through and through, like sitcoms. There's comedy there, there's comedic sitcoms, but then there's points where there's a pause, you know, where they got to focus on whatever the story is or whatever. Like, what I'm talking about is like have you ever seen? I'm going to get you suckered, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like comedy is like where just every scene is just something ridiculous and it's just off the wall. I don't think we're going to get that type of comedy.

Speaker 2 16:36

No, no, I yeah. The closest we're going to get to that is something that's so zany off the wall that it's not even funny, it's just stupid.

Speaker 1 16:43

Yeah, I really. And that's the thing with Pineapple Express for Bleaks out there. Some of the scenes again were still ridiculous, but it worked with the action story that they were. They were making out of that movie which made it to me makes so much. And here's the thing we are going to review Harold Bukumar Go To White Castle right.

Speaker 1 17:08

And one thing about that movie it has action. It definitely has action as adventure. But this action had more somewhat of a serious tone with some of the stuff. It was like blurred between the lines of comedy and like seriousness, which I really enjoy.

Speaker 2 17:26

because some stone movies, yeah, because the violence was actually vital, like like when he lost a piece of his ear and he tried to connect it.

Speaker 1 17:36

He's like oh, he's like, oh, oh, he's like you know, it's effective so you know, and that's the thing about that movie. But let's go to the fourth talk of our question. For you, favorite character in the movie.

Speaker 2 17:53

Oh, that's a hard one. I'm between Matheson and Red.

Speaker 1 17:59

Okay, okay. Why was it? Why was it? Because?

Speaker 2 18:02

like Matheson was just twisted, like he was a weird character, like he would just kill people on the spot without even thinking about it. Like kill him, he'll just shoot the gun off. Like that's it. The only person that he talked any noise to was Saul, but everybody else he just shot just point blank and then, like person that crazy is outside of the house that that Dale did goes into for that dinner he was like to with his girlfriend. And then, like he said, he's like parks outside him and the other hitman so excited, so excited and what. And then when he goes in the house, he's like yeah, he puts his hands in the phone.

Speaker 2 18:39

And then he was like yes.

Speaker 1 18:42

It was like almost like some sadomasochist like killing his stuff.

Speaker 1 18:46

For the bleaks out there, if you guys don't know, matheson was a hitman played by Craig Robinson. Yeah, so he's definitely worked for the role. And I'm going to say for me, my favorites. I'm going to say three oh shit, there's so many men. Okay, I'm gonna have to say four. Okay, definitely Seth Rogan build, because he was the only. It's the intelligent one out of soul. Right, I did like red. I thought red was funny. So, with the fight scene in the house, get hit upside. You know man with a bomb.

Speaker 2 19:22

You're bomb. You have, oh, boy off of Lackening. I don't know if any of y'all bleak seen that movie or whatnot, but there's his brother in the blackening. I forgot his name, sorry about that Light skin brother with an afro. You'll know who I'm talking about if you ever watch the blackening he. He actually kind of looks like shock G. I probably shouldn't say that I'm not meaning as a diss. He just he looked like a young shark anywhere. That brother in the movie like was a survivor, just like.

Speaker 1 19:51

One person I really liked when she got mad and I thought it was when it was Rosie Perez. Yeah the cut corrupted cop because like when she's like oh. She's about to shoot. She's about to shoot. Oh soul, she was like your stupidity amazes me. And then, cuz they're New York accent and she's like she's a hi, well, I'll be back in an hour, I'm gonna find out who's mother Scrolling, that's sort of. And then the chase scene was her in the cop car where she shoots the civilian. It's.

Speaker 2 20:29

So stupid though I thought it stops the car, trying to screw it out of it, and then like they'll just Window, and then like a hit, like oh, yeah, again, oh.

Speaker 1 20:51

So if I had to say those are my four favorite characters and the movie pineapple express, and for Hell, let's, let's get into this right here. So we're already talking about so many things, things that you thought were hilarious about the movie, any scenes that you can think, I mean there's so many there's a fuel.

Movie Analysis

Speaker 2 21:11

Like there's sayings that didn't catch on, like the one saying that they had was BFFF, which was like best fucking friends forever. Never caught on, but it was funny in the movie. And then there was something else that that grabbed my attention. That movie my mom's blank on right now, like Like no, there was a few scenes in there that like that was just like what the hell.

Speaker 1 21:36

Especially the scenes were red, red Was just oh, bro, late red, but he got shot and he was like fish tacos.

Speaker 2 21:43

Yeah.

Speaker 1 21:45

But he was like he says math is a. Yes, I'm pretty sure that's why I ain't seen this 70s shot. And then he's like he's like I love it when apart, where he's making the cake, right, he's like hey, guys, just chill making the cake. Oh, no shit, he goes like it's. Uh, he goes to my cat's birthday. He goes. I don't see a cat here. Did you let it out by chance? He's like no cuz, my cat died three months ago. Now, who's the funny guy? And he was like. He said uh, he was like there's like no cells, like, hey, you know, let's just ask them. Does that ask me what? Because that's red. He's like uh, well, you're gonna come in my house, keep secrets will. Almost makes you look like a dumbass. Yeah, he goes. Look at my arm. Yeah, I'm on my arm. He's like what I got? No hair. What's the significance? It makes me aerodynamic when I fight.

Speaker 2 22:37

Because I can handle danger.

Speaker 1 22:42

Find out what's right, sir, anything. That's what we need to know.

Speaker 2 22:50

Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh, oh okay, scene. It came to me the scene whenever he goes to the high school uh, dealt it. He goes to the highest, yeah, to talk with his girlfriend, his high school girlfriend, yeah. And then like that one dude comes, he's like all playing everything and like look like he got done, leaving football practice something. And he like there's all talking and laughing, they're all comfortable together. She was like, oh, you're pressing, the gold bloom was so funny, oh my gosh. And then like he was like, oh, yeah, but hey, you know, he's a. You see, dale, just looking at both of them, like really y'all want to get a room, like seriously, y'all, y'all talking, would be something like that. And then wherever he walks off and he says let's suck, let's suck today's dick, wait what?

Speaker 1 23:32

I like to see where he comes by Dale's place, where Dale throws my salt spot. He's like. He's like um, hey, let me ask you something. Um, if you had to pull the plug on somebody, would you do it? He goes, uh, I don't know man I'm talking about, I don't want to go down that road. He's like I just came here for the weed. Yeah, yeah, let me, let me get you. He's like all right, got the weed.

Speaker 2 23:59

Hey.

Speaker 1 24:02

And he said you're gonna smoke and run, like I can't like this doing them all and I need your help. He's like fuck it, why not, let's see? And he gives the highest shit. And he's like what is it that you do? I'm a process server, so you like serve people Like we're borrowers.

Speaker 2 24:18

Yeah, it's talking about it. He was all like no, this thing is sir?

Speaker 1 24:25

No, because I give out documents from attorneys to people who don't want those, so they don't know who they are. Yeah, this sounds like fun, he goes. Oh, that's an interesting job. I had a job where I could just smoke all week, smoke weed all day and do nothing.

Speaker 2 24:40

You do have your own, it's like you did, you got the easiest job in the world. I didn't think you found out from the movie it wasn't the easiest job.

Speaker 1 24:48

He seems to be. He was quite the bud man. I'll say that he was quite the salesman. I love the chemistry with these two. And one thing I have to say, and I know James Franco is going up to a lot of legal trouble.

Speaker 2 25:01

Yeah, with those accusations that he where he went into a mistake and was like, yeah, we could watch weird stuff on the internet. That hits different now.

Speaker 1 25:10

I guess. So my thing with James is that I only really remembered him off of the Spider-Man we're talking about why, you know? Because I, you know, with those movies right there and I thought it was really good for comedic relief in this movie. He actually did like watching it again. He really convinced me that he was a real pothead, like I was. Like I said, no, this dude probably really smokes.

Speaker 1 25:36

but like that he was and everything, but it was just cool. Just to you know, watch this movie for the Blinks. I highly recommend it and you know we're going to go into our final point with this. And for the Blinks. You already know this is the actual strain of bud, but we're talking about the movie perspective. The movie was pineapple, expressed at the actual bud itself. For you, ralph. If it was a strain, how many puffs would you have to puff on it on a scale one to five, before you pass it off?

Speaker 2 26:09

I'll be fine Puff.

Comparing Two Comedy Films

Speaker 1 26:10

Okay, I'm right there with you, brother, I'm right there with you. That movie again. It's one of my favorite comedies.

Speaker 2 26:17

Yeah, comedy action, yeah, a lot of stuff.

Speaker 1 26:21

You know, and it's a formula, I feel like the only other movie that made me have that much fun. It took up the, it took up the stoner aspect, but it did have, like, the drug aspect of what the comedy was 21 Jump Street, oh that was a fun movie that was a fun movie and to me that was like the kind of closest thing that action comedy over time Right.

Speaker 2 26:42

It had kind of like a mix of both and the action looked like some real action, yeah, and it had ice to it, yeah.

Speaker 1 26:48

So it's one of those movies where, you know, I really thoroughly enjoy pineapple expressed for the Blinks out there. If you guys haven't seen it, man, y'all gotta, y'all gotta do it. And if you, you know, if you got some pineapple express with you, the movie is gonna be a lot more enjoyable and I feel like you guys are gonna really enjoy it. But until next time, be safe. Ulter Blikers.