Spending his days serving court orders and getting stoned, slacker Dale Denton's (Seth Rogen) world is turned upside-down when he witnesses drug baron Ted Jones (Gary Cole) commit a cold-blooded murder. Dropping a spliff of super-strength 'pineapple express' weed at the crime scene, Dale visits his ultra-mellow dealer Saul Silver (James Franco) to find out if the doobie can be traced back to him. When Jones sends his goons to wipe them both out, Dale and Saul go on the run, but, with heads full of weed, their getaway is anything but smooth.
Based on a story by producer Judd Apatow and written by Rogen, the two having previously collaborated on hits Knocked Up and Superbad, Pineapple Express is the product of a comedy team at the very peak of its powers. While Rogen's knack for playing affable losers has established him as an everyman who audiences love to root for, it is in fact Franco who shines here.
Having wasted his talent on a string of dramatic roles in flops such as Annapolis and Flyboys, Franco demonstrates a considerable flair for comedy as the endearingly useless Saul in this well-conceived blend of action movie clichés and Cheech and Chonginspired shenanigans.