Rogen is Dale Denton, a process server who spends most of his time smoking weed and calling in to talk radio programs (his dream job is being a talk radio host). Dale’s not exactly burning up the town; he spends too much of his time stoned.
Dale’s dealer is Saul, played by James Franco in a great comedic turn. Saul spends even more time stoned than Dale does. We learn later that he started dealing to make money to keep his beloved grandmother in her retirement home; he really wants to be a civil engineer.
But, it looks like neither Dale nor Saul will get to realize their dreams. Saul’s sold Dale some great weed, Pineapple Express. Saul’s the exclusive dealer in town, which is too bad since Dale tosses a joint out his car window after seeing a white guy and a female cop murder an Asian guy. As (bad) luck would have it, the male killer is Ted (Gary Cole), the master supplier in town. Ted’s able to identify the pot in the discarded joint, and he knows who he sold Pineapple Express to – Red (Danny McBride). And Red only sold it to one guy, Saul. So, either Saul or one of Saul’s customers had to be the witness to the killing, part of a drug war between Ted and a Chinese gang.
Dale somehow figures out that he and Saul are in danger, and off they go on the run. First they spend the night together in a forest, then they have a very funny, very bloody run-in with Red, then a less bloody but almost as funny meeting with Dale’s girlfriend’s family (she’s a high school senior, by the way), then a great car chase, and then a falling out. Tears are shed, but when Dale goes to find Saul to apologize, he finds out Saul’s been kidnapped by Ted’s guys.
The big (very big) shoot ‘em up scene takes place at a barn where Ted’s growing operation is housed. Lots of guns, lots of bad guys, lots of mayhem. Somehow, Dale, Saul and Red (who’s back on their side at this point) all survive to have some pot-infused male bonding over a diner breakfast before Saul’s grandmother comes to pick them up.
There are so many funny moments in the movie that I can’t begin to describe them. Just keep imagining a big budget action buddy film, but where the buddies are both stoned silly. Really inane idea, but it works. Rogen is more or less the straight guy to Franco’s over-the-top Saul. Not the kind of role Franco’s done much of lately, but he is really terrific and makes Saul totally lovable even as you’re shaking your head over him. Ed Begley, Jr. has a small but hilarious part as Dale’s girlfriend’s dad, who’s not at all impressed with his daughter’s taste in men, especially when he realizes drug hit men are now after his family.
DVD special features include an optional commentary track with the cast and director David Gordon Green (just a bit of a change of pace for him); deleted and extended scenes, one of which explains how Dale and his teen girlfriend came to meet, a story of true romance; a gag reel that’s not nearly as funny as the movie itself; and a making of that highlights members of the cast and includes some scenes from early rehearsals.
Audio options are English and French Dolby 5.1 Digital, with subtitles in those same languages.