With the way that “50/50″ expertly blends comedy and heart, one would think that Judd Apatow had a hand in making the film – a notion that might seem confirmed by Seth Rogen’s co-starring role. But instead, Rogen is going this one alone, bringing to the screen a true story based on his real-life friend’s battle with cancer. The result is a funny, charming and surprisingly touching film that provides an intriguing look at one man’s fight against cancer.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays straight-laced Adam, a healthy guy who doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, doesn’t do drugs, and even recycles. As he jogs through the opening credits of the film, being sick is certainly the last thing on Adam’s mind. More likely on his mind is the fact that he has to get a ride to work every morning from his rough-around-the edges buddy Kyle (Rogen). But when Adam starts having back pain and finally gets it checked out by the doctor, he’s dumbstruck by the news that he has cancer.

At first, Adam takes everything in stride. Without any physical symptoms from the cancer and the effects of the chemo having yet to set in, things seem alright. He and Kyle share plenty of laughs and even succeed in using Adam’s cancer to pick up some girls at a bar. But as Adam’s chemotherapy continues and he begins to feel the effects, things go downhill fast. Suddenly his life is falling apart around him, and he suddenly realizes that he might not make it through this.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen share a convincing bro-mance in 50/50

As expected, Gordon-Levitt gives a moving performance that makes it easy to grow attached to lovable good-guy Adam. And although Rogen plays his typical foul-mouthed, slobby stoner character, it really works for this film. Kyle’s spontaneous and pot-ridden lifestyle perfectly balances out Adam’s by-the-book demeanor. Watching them clash provides plenty of laughs, but there is also a very real bro-mantic chemistry between Rogen and Gordon-Levitt that makes the dramatic second half of the film that much more moving.

With “50/50,” Rogen has somehow managed to skillfully combine a buddy comedy with a heartfelt drama in a way that gives you the best out of both genres. This film tackles a difficult subject in a new way and manages to leave you with a warm feeling by the end. Not to mention that it’s a refreshing departure from some of Rogen’s previous films. This one is certainly worth a look.

Alice Eve is a solid 10 — at least, according to the new comedy "She’s Out of My League."

Eve plays Molly, a blonde-haired, green-eyed knockout who inexplicably falls for quirky, nerdy guy Kirk Kettner (Jay Baruchel). Despite her best friend Patty’s (Krysten Ritter) doubts, Eve starts to date Kirk and they both find out what happens when a "hard 10" dates a 5.

Beyond introducing the British-born Eve to America, the film marks Jay Baruchel’s first shot as a leading man. Baruchel is a member of Judd Apatow’s never-ending stash of comedic talent that has produced stars like Seth Rogen and Jason Segal.

Blast got a chance to hang out with Alice Eve and co-star Krysten Ritter at Kings Bowling Alley in the Back Bay and talked with the two young stars about playing a a “dream girl,” having potty mouths and the best date advice they ever got.

Video Credit: Brooklynne Kelly Peters

We have 10 copies of the “Funny People” special edition DVD with both the unrated and theatrical editions.

As always, it’s 100 percent FREE to Blast readers.

All you have to do is be a registered user and leave a comment on this article, and the first 10 people get the dvd! That’s all there is to it!

We do a few of these plus some movie screenings every month. If you’re a registered user, you get all these updates automatically.

We also giveaway gadgets, electronics, books, CDs and more, so make sure you stick to Blast!

It’s weird with Judd Apatow having his name on so many films to think he only has directed a grand total of three. His touch has been on everything from “You Don’t Mess With The Zohan” to “Superbad” and seeing actors like Seth Rogen, Michael Cera and Jason Segel immediately brings his name to mind. But like trailers for “Funny People” have suggested, Apatow’s latest film is a combination of toned-down comedy with a heavy dash of drama and complexity. Being a self-professed anti-Adam Sandler fan, I’ve got to admit, I liked the combination.

Opening with actual home video of a young Sandler making prank calls to local businesses, the tone was set for the film: this is a Judd Apatow’s film for Adam Sandler, about Adam Sandler. Granted it’s no biography, but telling the story of a stand-up comedian stuck doing crappy comedies about a mer-man and a man trapped in a baby’s body who needs to find the meaning of his life seems to strike a bit true to Sandler’s life.

Except in this case, instead of returning to stand-up like his character George Simmons, Sandler has showed he is more than just a one-note, baby-voiced comedy machine: with “Funny People” he reinforced the fact that he could act. But maybe that ties into the fact that, like Eminem’s amazing performance in “8 Mile” the only reason he did so well was because it was his life and unhappiness he was portraying.

Apatow pushed the bounds of his actors just enough to get them out of their one-note rut. Like Sandler taking on the role of a jaded, unhappy comedian struggling to resolve his life once he found out he didn’t have much time left (and then to find its meaning once he found out he did), Seth Rogen takes many steps away from the characters we have come to know and love of his. Granted, his comedy has taken many shades, all the way from “Knocked Up” to “Observe and Report” to “Fanboys” but the Rogen seen in “Funny People” is a sincere, innocent variation that has not yet been seen. Rogen, like Sandler, did some incredibly acting that was worthy of mention.

Unlike many comedies out this summer, including “The Hangover” which was arguably the funniest film of the year, there was never one moment during “Funny People” where something absurd happened to make it not seem like a real story. These are real people with real lives and real emotions, which means the not as happy ending might be the right one. Without straying into genre stereotypes and stupid comedy, Apatow proved he is not only a great comedian but a great filmmaker. And what “Funny People” may lack in being a great comedy, it makes up for with being a great film.

Seth Rogen. Adam Sandler. Leslie Mann. Eric Bana. Jason Schwartzman. An all-star cast for an all-star comedy, the latest film from director Judd Apatow.

Over the past few years, writer/director Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up) has shown that nothing — not even losing your virginity or the miracle of childbirth — is sacred. About his third film behind the camera, he says, “I’m trying to make a very serious movie that is twice as funny as my other movies. Wish me luck!” “Funny People” tells the story of a famous comedian (Sandler) who has a near-death experience.

With only 15 passes to giveaway to this screening, a little competition for the passes is in order. Submit a picture of your face photo edited onto your favorite funny person, and the best 15 submissions win a pass for two to the July 28 screening.

This contest will end July 26, so make sure to get your submissions in on time! E-mail the pictures to schwartz.t@blastmagazine.com along with your name and the name of your guest for a chance to win. The best pictures will be posted on the site Monday July 27.

“Funny People” opens nationwide July 31!

I am a huge Seth Rogen fan. And I love Jay Baruchel in just about everything he’s been in. So I am baffled by how I missed “Jay and Seth Vs. The Apocalypse,” a “trailer” for a film Rogen and Baruchel want to make that has been on YouTube for over two years.

Turns out the dynamic duo and “Superbad” co-mastermind Evan Goldberg came up with that short to promote interest for a feature film — a promotion that ended up paying off last January when Mandate Pictures secured the rights to make the movie. Making buzz about a film that hasn’t been made to get it rolling towards production is a tactic that is being used often nowadays it seems, as it is the same thing Jason Bateman did while on tour for “Juno” to get the “Arrested Development” movie to begin development.

The MTV Movies Blog talked to Baruchel about what was taking the film so long to reach the big screen: turns out “The Green Hornet” and a possible hockey movie called “Goon” are standing in the way of production.

“They’re working on the ['Jay and Seth'] script right now” Baruchel told MTV. “All the concepts are there, all the beats are there, the treatment is there and a movie with us in it”"we’ll improvise half the thing anyway, so it doesn’t matter.”

He said the film will at least happen in the next year and a half “for sure.”

How awesome is it that Rogen, Baruchel and Goldberg got a film to be made based on buzz alone? Did you miss this YouTube hit just like we did? Let us know below!

You’ve met him before. That fast food manager who is content to spend his days bossing around 16 year olds, or maybe that store clerk who gave up a long time ago and is coasting along with no pay and no future. That’s who this movie is about. It’s not a comedy in the traditional sense as much as a surreal tragedy that uses laughter as the only way of establishing a connection between the audience and the characters, all of which are otherwise unrelatable. For those instant comparisons to “Paul Blart: Mall Cop,” let me assure you, this movie has more in common with black comedies like “Dr. Strangelove,” “Fargo” and “Death to Smoochy” than “Blart,” which was another “fatty fall down” flick 10 years and one star behind it’s time.

Seth Rogan takes time off from playing himself in four films a year to play Ronnie Barnhardt, a mall security guard. Sorry, head of mall security. He takes the title and the job with the utmost seriousness. He might live with his mom, but he is king of the mall. He’s generally a jerk and doesn’t care about anyone else. His falsified ego seems to get in the way of his day to day duties and social interactions.

Surrounding him is is makeshift squad of guards, all of whom seem pretty content to spend their days pushing around what little influence they have.

The story gets kicked into motion by a flasher, who is making the mall his new stomping grounds. Ronnie, in an attempt to impress Brandi (Anna Faris), a makeup saleswoman, devotes his whole life to finding and stopping this flasher.

At least that’s how the movie starts. Somewhere in the middle it intentionally ignores Ronnie’s quest to focus on a series of robberies, and Ronnie realizes he has been lying to himself about his own importance. Pushing his weight around for free coffee from the disabled girl in the food court doesn’t seem as appealing, and Ronnie tries to become an actual cop. Inspired by the work of his rival, Detective Harrison (Ray Liotta), Ronnie pushes himself to prove that he’s more than just a mall cop.

Up until this point, it all seems possible. Sure, it’s full of gags, jokes and comedic situations, but it’s something resembling a real life. I am going to skip the meat of the film and jump straight to the end so as not to give away the whole thing, so a big spoiler alert from here on out. If you don’t want to know what happens, skip to the last 2 paragraphs. They will be spoiler free.

At this point, the movie becomes the classic antihero story from “Taxi Driver.” Though not shot for shot, it possesses a lot of the same plot, almost all of the same themes and an ending that is so off and absurd that you begin to question whether it happened.

Two scenes in particular show just how far this movie is from a traditional comedy. Ronnie pummels, berates and threatens a food court manager after his handicapped employee breaks down after spending the movie being verbally abused. Pressing the manager’s face up against an oven, you begin to wonder if Ronnie is sane or not. Your laughing at how absurd it is, but the movie takes this scene very seriously. Nothing is actually funny, and it’s actually pretty frightening if not taken in context of the movie.

Later, after being fired from mall security, Ronnie refuses to leave and badly injuries many cops with his flashlight, before losing in a fistfight with Harrison. Again, the scene is funny, but the brutality shines through a lot more. How does a man, even one shown to be great at the physical aspects of law enforcement take down 10 cops? It was as though the realism in the film was intentionally removed.

At the end of the movie, Ronnie returns to the mall to find the disabled coffee shop employee’s leg has healed, her hair done nice and now wants to be with Ronnie for what he did for her. While there, the flasher reappears and a chase ensues. It ends when Ronnie zips into a side door while the flasher reaches Brandi, and then against all common sense and expectations, reappears and shoots the flasher in the chest.

Yes, shoots him in the chest.

Apparently it is only a minor chest wound because Ronnie still finds the time to call Brandi a whore who broke his heart, receive keys to the mall golf cart from his manager and drop the badly injured flasher at the doorstep of the police station in front of Detective Harrison. He is commended for his work, goes back to working at the mall and stays with the coffee shop girl.

If this sounds a bit impossible, I assure you, it is. Everything about it is wrong, and rather how Ronnie’s egomaniacal self would see them if they every even happened. This is the ending that parallels “Taxi Driver,” in that the “hero” of the story somehow gets away with everything. Whether it happened or not is up for interpretation. Is it just the bi-polar Ronnie, finally snapping and subduing to dementia? Perhaps he died fighting those cops, or at another point in the movie, and this is his last thoughts? Maybe, he is just the luckiest man on earth, and it is exactly how it happened? Much like “Taxi Driver,” there won’t be a true answer to any of these questions.

Ok, from now on, this review is spoiler free.

No, “Observe and Report” is not “Knocked up,” “Superbad” or “Pineapple Express.” It’s also not “Apocalypse Now” or some snuff film like other reports make it out to be. It’s something in-between. It’s a black comedy. You laugh because you can’t relate and can see the absurdity from the outside, not because you want to be like them. No one is a role model in this movie. It certainly lives up to it’s R rating. The black comedy never hits big in theatres, yet always becomes a cult classic. This one looks destined to be the same.

They say never judge a book by its cover, but there’s something about the title “Monsters vs. Aliens” that brought to mind a mediocre children’s movie with crude fart jokes and lots of epic clashes between monsters and aliens. DreamWorks’s latest animated feature film did not disappoint me.

Once again, DreamWorks sacrificed creating a quality script for putting together an all-star cast. Using the voice talents of Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie, Will Arnett, Kiefer Sutherland, Rainn Wilson and Stephen Colbert (oh, and Paul Rudd, Jeffrey Tambor, Amy Poehler, Renee Zellweger and John Krasinksi), this would have been the crƒ¨me de la crƒ¨me of live action movies. But even Seth Rogen’s token stoner laugh was not enough to save a film that was all glitz but no substance.

The film follows Susan Murphy (Reese Witherspoon), an unfortunate woman who gets hit by a meteorite on her wedding day and promptly grows ginormous – hence the US Government dubbing her Ginormica. Thus she is locked away in a secret government facility with other “monsters”: B.O.B. (Seth Rogen), a genetically altered tomato gone wrong; Dr. Cockroach Ph.D (Hugh Laurie), a mad scientist who decided to clone himself after the world’s most durable creature; and The Missing Link (Will Arnett), a monster who just likes to terrify the ladies. Then there’s Insectasaurus who I will let you discover for yourself.

Susan is heartbroken after the US Government tell her she will be locked away from her fiancĩ (Paul Rudd) and family forever. That is, until General W. R. Monger (Kiefer Sutherland) realizes the best way to battle their new alien threat (Rainn Wilson) is with the monsters they have been containing. Thus, like its title so subtly suggests, the most is about the monsters versus the aliens.

Writers Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky seemed like they were trying to find a happy medium between child and adult humor but instead alienated both. Themes like Susan’s fiancƒ© only wanting to marry Susan so she could live in his shadow and jokes about global warming seemed too mature for a children’s animated movie, but the “adult humor” never was quite as funny as previous DreamWorks films “Shrek” and “Kung Fu Panda.”

Rogen was the stand-out voice actor of the bunch, though maybe that’s because his voice is funny unto itself. B.O.B. is like a monster version of Brick (Steve Carrell) in “Anchorman,” with some of the jokes (not knowing what his name is) being taken straight from that character. Brick was funny though, and B.O.B. is too. It’s some of the best humor in the movie, even if it’s not original.

Visually, “Monsters vs. Aliens” looked great. While no other animation studio has been able to master the depth of detail and realism that makes Pixar the master of the craft, DreamWorks has come leaps and bounds from “Shrek.”

It also was my first time experiencing a film in 3D, which I had the good fortune to do at the IMAX Theater at Jordan’s Furniture’s Reading location. I wouldn’t recommend seeing it any other way. Even though some of the shots were created solely to look cool in 3D, they did, and that made watching the film somewhat more bearable.

“Monsters vs. Aliens” is the only new animated film out in theaters after last month’s “Coraline.” Go take the kids to see it – they will love B.O.B. (Seth Rogen being family friendly and a kid favorite? Will wonders never cease?). But go in expecting something to keep you entertained for two hours, not something worthy of its cast or that’s going to leave a lasting impact.

NEW YORK — I can still remember watching the DVD of “Clerks 2″ back in 2007. I’m a sucker for trailers, but wasn’t especially paying attention to them this time – a by-product of trying to watch a movie while being with friends. All of the sudden, I start hearing “Star Wars” references coming from the TV and realized, after watching the entirety of the “Fanboys” trailer, I had fallen in love with a movie concept.

It took until Feb. 6, 2009 for the film to be released into theaters.

Kellen Rice and I were lucky enough to catch the film while were in NYC for New York Comic-con as it is in painfully limited release. It was the right audience to see the movie with because we were surrounded by nerds just as dedicated to “Star Wars” as we were. In fact, if you have never seen “Star Wars,” this movie wouldn’t even blip on your radar. On that same trend, if you have never seen “Star Wars” (or didn’t like it), don’t bother going to see this movie.

“Fanboys” is nothing more than a loving homage to how much the actors involved (Sam Huntington, Dan Fogler, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Kevin Smith and Kristen Bell, to name some people you’d recognize) love “Star Wars.” And they love “Star Wars.” The movie is so chock full of references that there wouldn’t be a single ounce of humor with out it.

The film is set circa 1999 (all the way down to “Lump” and thick square laptops) months before the release of “Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace.” Eric (Sam Huntington) decides that the best way to repair the three years of anger that had ruined his relationship with ex-best friend Linus (Chris Marquette) – for a reason that will remain unnamed due to how big of a spoiler it is — he and the rest of their old group of friends; Hutch (Dan Fogler) and Windows (Jay Baruchel), should travel to Skywalker Ranch and steal “The Phantom Menace” from right under George Lucas’ nose.

There were a lot of shout outs to the Star Wars culture; like questioning whether Boba Fett really was a bad ass just because he had a jet pack and recalling a three-year-long argument between Eric and Linus over whether Luke really knew Leia was his sister or not when he kissed her, as well as the ongoing Star Wars versus Star Trek feud (just watch the trailer).

But it’s the “in retrospect” moments that really give the movie its humor. There is one scene where a character played by Seth Rogen is showing off his “Star Wars” tattoos: the Empire on one shoulder and the Rebel Alliance on the other. Then he turns around, lifts the shirt off his back and reveals a huge tattoo of young Anakin Skywalker alongside Jar Jar Binks. “Jar Jar Binks, man,” he predicted, “that dude is going to be awesome!”

“Fanboys” is hysterical – if you get it. It is a film that is meant to honor, in a funny way, a film that the people behind it clearly love with all their hearts. Sure it gets outlandish at times, but the way the fan culture is described is not as off-base as those uneducated in “Star Wars” would like to believe. If you think the final scene where Eric and friends are camped out outside the movie theater for the release of the film is a bit out of proportion, just watch this:

But there was a lot of obvious love that went into the making of “Fanboys” and it makes someone who loves “Star Wars” as much as they do appreciate the fact they made the movie to begin with.

The Force clearly was with Kyle Newman and Adam Goldberg in the decision to make the movie, though it probably took a Jedi mind trick for the studio execs to get it into the theaters. Which is undoubtedly why it took three years to release.

These are the movies Blast is excited about seeing in the month of October:

Rachel Getting Married

Who: Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, Bill Irwin, Tunde Adebimpe, Debra Winger

What: Kym (Hathaway) returns home for her sister’s wedding and bring back years of family tension and personal problems with her. What should have been a happy weekend is sent towards disaster once Kym gets into the mix.

When: October 3

Why: Hathaway’s performance (a complete 180 from her typical girlish comedic fare) has been being talked about for an Oscar nod since talk first surfaced of her role.

How to Lose Friends & Alienate People

Who: Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Jeff Bridges, Danny Huston, Gillian Anderson, Megan Fox

What: Based on the novel based on the true story, the film follows the story of Sidney Young (Pegg) who is hired by a big time New York magazine. Young enters high society and makes a complete fool of himself, catches the attention of Sharp editor Clayton Harding (Bridges) and lands himself a job. Instead of schmoozing with everyone like he is told, Young makes a fool of himself and sets himself on the fast track to destruction.

When: October 3

Why: Pegg has a great sense of humor when it comes to making comedies. Also, the book, which is written by the real Sidney Young, is supposed to be hysterically funny. It’s been too long since our last great satire.

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist

Who: Michael Cera, Kat Dennings, Alexis Dziena, Ari Graynor, Aaron Yoo, Jay Baruchel

What: Nick (Cera) is a musician in a Queercore band struggling to get over his ex. Norah (Dennings) is trying to keep an eye on her drunk best friend. They meet up, make out, and then end up going on the wildest search of their life to try to find their mutually favorite band.

When: October 3

Why: We’ve already seen the movie, and it’s really cute. Not the greatest thing ever, but Michael Cera deserves your $10 for his performance.

Body of Lies

Who: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe

What: Based on the novel of the same name, the film is about CIA operative Roger Ferris (DiCaprio) who uncovers a lead on a terrorist leader suspected to be working out of Jordan, and has to enlist the help of CIA veteran Ed Hoffman (Crowe) and the head of Jordanian intelligence. Ferris has to figure out whether these men are truly his allies, or whether he has put his operation and safety on the line.

When: October 10

Why: It looks a bit over-the-top, but DiCaprio is having a serious comeback, and his chemistry with Crowe looks phenomenal. Also, Ridley Scott (who is directing) always brings the best out of Crowe.

Max Payne

Who: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Chris O’Donnell, Beau Bridges, Ludacris

What: After Max Payne (Wahlberg) finds his family killed and he himself is left for dead, he comes back to take his vengeance on those who have sought to destroy him: both natural and supernatural.

When: October 17

Why: We saw the presentation on it at Comic-con and, trust me, it looks AWESOME.

W.

Who: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks, James Cromwell, Ellen Burstyn, Thandie Newton, Richard Dreyfuss

What: Oliver Stone directs an autobiographical film chronicling the life of President George W. Bush from his college days until his presidency.

When: October 17

Why: A seemingly-critical autobiographical flick about the life of George W. Bush directed by Oliver Stone starring Josh Brolin? Oh, I am so there.

Pride and Glory

Who: Edward Norton, Colin Farrell, Jon Voight, Noah Emmerich, Jennifer Ehle

What: Norton and Farrell are brothers in a multi-generational New York City police family, where one finds the other embroiled in a case that causes them to choose between their loyalties to each other and their loyalties to the department.

When: October 24

Why: This will be one of those underrated-but-awesome Colin Farrell flicks (“In Bruges”), accentuated by the fact that it co-stars Ed Norton.

Changeling

Who: Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Jeffrey Donovan, Michael Kelly, Colm Feore

What: Christine Collins (Jolie) comes home one day in 1928 Los Angeles to find her son, Walter, gone. Five months later, Walter is found and returned to her by the LAPD. However, the boy who is returned to her is not her son. Thus ensues a battle between her and the police department, who try to convince her that the boy is in fact her son.

When: ‚ October 24

Why: This newest Eastwood film stirred up a lot of interest at Sundance this year, and the trailer looks eerie. This looks to be one of Jolie’s best performances yet.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Who: Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson, Jason Mewes, Jeff Anderson

What: Lifelong platonic friends, Zack (Rogen) and Miri (Banks), decide to direct and star in their own homemade porno to solve their financial woes.

When: ‚ October 31

Why: 1. Kevin Smith creation. 2. Seth Rogen starring. 3. Elizabeth Banks, who two weeks previous stars as Laura Bush in “W.” Talk about diversity. 5. Star Wars spoof porno.

‘Pineapple Express’ is an intelligent comedy that will be the best movie ever if you’re a stoner, and a slightly-better-than-mediocre Judd Aptow comedy if you’re anyone else.

James Franco takes a step outside his film comfort zone as Seth Rogen’s loveable drug dealer Saul Silver. While some may be shocked by Franco’s easy portrayal of the character, those who watched the short-lived Aptow creation ‘Freaks and Geeks’ will recognize the Daniel Desario in Saul’s sentimental and oblivious personality.

While Franco was the scene stealer of the film, Rogen slipped deeper into the pot-smoking degenerate character he only seems capable of portraying as ‘Pineapple Express’s Dale Denton. While his crappy job is funny (he delivers court subpoenas), his high school girlfriend and the joint that is constantly in his hand do little to endear himself to the audience, unless the desired effect of his character was pity.

Newcomer Danny McBride’s character Red, Saul’s drug distributor, is funny, but not as quote-worthy as the compared McLovin from ‘Superbad’. If you want to see him really funny, check out ‘The Foot-Fist Way’ or this past week’s ‘Tropic Thunder.’

The most surprising aspect of ‘Pineapple Express’ was that it actually was action-packed. The over-the-top storyline felt a bit out of place when compared to Aptow’s previous two big films; ‘Knocked Up’ and ‘Superbad’, which were well received because of their relatability to the audience. That was ‘Pineapple Express’s biggest flaw, from its opening scene to its climactic finish: it was completely out of touch with reality. While it was undoubtedly funny throughout the entire movie, ‘Express’ failed to be a movie that everyone could relate to.

The film starts off when Dale (Rogen) purchases Pineapple Express, the filet mignon of marijuana, from his dealer Saul (Franco). Turns out Franco was the only dealer in town to have that specific drug, which causes problems when Dale drops a joint outside big-time pot distributor Ted Jones’ (Gary Cole) house after he witnesses both Ted and a woman murder an Asian man (the Asians are the competing pot distributors).

As the person who gave Saul the Pineapple Express, he recognizes it and goes after Saul to try to kill him, as he now thinks that Saul and the previously unknown Dale have turned on him and are teamed up with the Asians. Thus ensues numerous car chase scenes and shoot outs and more gunshots-that-don’t-lead-to-deaths than ever before seen in any previous action flick.

While there was one big car chase scene in the middle of the movie that was absolutely fantastic, Aptow should stick more with his realistic comedies than try to create the next ‘Rush Hour’. It was cool to see Seth Rogen as an action star, and it was clear that both he and Franco were having the times of their lives in their roles, but no one except Franco truly excelled in their roles. Unless you were high while watching the movie, it couldn’t be described as anything more than mediocre.

Judd Aptow seems to be slipping, and ‘Pineapple Express’ seemed to be little more than a dream project where the studio just let him stick as many joints (definitely more than 20) into a movie as possible. Let’s just hope that with ‘Year One’, coming 2009, he gets back to his ‘Superbad’-A-game.