Rogen and Franco were originally assigned opposite roles, Olivia Thirlby preceded Heard, and Bryan Cranston was rejected for Ted Jones as insufficiently scary immediately before Breaking Bad.
In the discussion (2)
- A triple swap putting McBride as Dale, Rogen as Saul, and Franco as Red is an earlier hypothetical.
- Cranston’s rejection for a drug-dealer role became especially ironic when Breaking Bad premiered around the film’s release.
☆★☆★☆★☆★
Roger Ebert gave three and a half stars, praising a quality drug comedy that overcame familiar male-bonding, sex, scatology, drugs, fighting, guns, and explosions.
In the discussion (2)
- Ebert’s respect for David Gordon Green helps the panel frame the film as unusually well shot and staged for its material.
- The car chase’s failed windshield kick is a carefully framed action gag that subverts a familiar trope.
The panel boycotts a 2022 recast for lack of obvious young comic actors, then proposes Skyler Gisondo, Tim Robinson, and Sam Richardson.
In the discussion (1)
- The panel boycotts a 2022 recast for lack of obvious young comic actors, then proposes Skyler Gisondo, Tim Robinson, and Sam Richardson.
Research covers the meteorological name, real civil engineers, locations, 180 uses of “fuck,” cross joints, cable overdubbing, the smoking billboard, Snicklefritz, injuries, and overlapping Superbad work.
In the discussion (6)
- Weathercasters coined Pineapple Express for an atmospheric river carrying tropical moisture in the late 1960s.
- Saul’s named civil engineers and projects are real.
- The hosts count 180 uses of “fuck.”
- “Melon farmers” deliberately imitates cable overdubbing of profanity.
- A smoking billboard triggered fire reports, and Snicklefritz came from a supervisor’s insult for a struggling PA.
- Rogen broke a finger, and Superbad drawings were created during overlapping woods production.
Dale meeting Angie, insufficiently red eyes, the family fleeing home, process-server anger, easy police escape, exposed farm ventilation, unmentioned cannabis fire, and beer with milk generate the nits.
In the discussion (7)
- The film never explains how an aimless process server meets a high-school student.
- The actors behave high but rarely look physically high despite constant smoking.
- Angie’s family would call police rather than obey Dale and hide in a motel.
- The hosts debate whether recipients would actually insult the process server rather than the litigant.
- A smashed cop car should bring backup and helicopters before the heroes escape.
- Huge air intakes reveal the farm, and the finale omits any payoff from burning the world’s best weed.
- Angie’s father drinks Newcastle and milk together.
Questions examine a possible Dumb and Dumber homage, whether Pineapple Express is sativa, and how good the real strain is.
In the discussion (2)
- Two idiots pursued by two hitmen, an overestimating boss, disguises, and the shared Bubby actress form a substantial but unconfirmed homage case.
- The panel assumes sativa and invites firsthand reports on the strain.
This Is the End, Tropic Thunder, and Reefer Madness are distinct choices.
In the discussion (1)
- This Is the End, Tropic Thunder, and Reefer Madness are distinct choices.
Casting What-Ifs