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Pineapple Express

Pineapple Express

Put this in your pipe and smoke it.

2008112 minRMidcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
Director
David Gordon Green
Starring
Seth Rogen, James Franco, Gary Cole, Rosie Perez

A stoner and his dealer are forced to go on the run from the police after the pothead witnesses a cop commit a murder.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Pineapple Express?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Pineapple Express streaming on Hulu and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Subscription

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Pineapple Express?

Pineapple Express earns 8 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Box Office Hit.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is Pineapple Express worth watching?

Pineapple Express' Midcredits score is the 76th percentile of all films, from 804K ratings across 6 sources. 69% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

76th percentile

Better received than 76% of films

87th percentile among Action74th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)72nd
Approval (how many liked it)77th

68 /100

72nd percentile of all films

85th percentile among Action72nd percentile among 2000s

Critics 64 · Audience 68

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

69% liked it

77th percentile of all films

85th percentile among Action76th percentile among 2000s
69% rated it 7–1031% rated it 1–6

Critics 68% · Audience 73%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 15 noms overall

  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical

98th percentile

804K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Action97th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 29% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$27M
Opening weekend$23M
Domestic gross$87M
Worldwide gross$102M

Returned 3.8× its budget — 85th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A buddy stoner action-comedy with a strong Franco-Rogen pairing, but its violence is excessive and the plot is thin and illogical.

Fans praised

  • James Franco's lovable stoner Saul
  • hilarious lead chemistry between Rogen and Franco
  • funny dialogue and quotable one-liners

Detractors panned

  • violence too harsh and tonally jarring
  • plot holes and illogical character survival
  • Seth Rogen's repetitive persona

What stands out

Acting78

Franco's breakout comedic performance, Rogen's familiar but effective turns, and strong chemistry between the leads

HumorDivisive75

Fans find it laugh-out-loud funny; detractors find it juvenile or unfunny unless stoned

DialogueDivisive75

Quotable, improvised-feeling stoner banter and memorable one-liners, though some find it juvenile

Effects and spectacleDivisive70

Over-the-top, bloody action set pieces and car chases, praised for comedic energy but criticized as excessive

Characters68

Saul's lovable innocence is widely praised; Dale is generic and Red is cartoonishly indestructible

OriginalityDivisive68

Fresh genre blend of stoner comedy and buddy action, but built on familiar Apatow/Cheech & Chong tropes

PacingDivisive45

Slow start, but momentum picks up; second half's extended action sequences are often criticized as too long

Plot and story40

Thin and predictable, but serves the comedy; numerous plot holes and illogical survival sequences

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 13 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 9 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is Pineapple Express like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
AbsurdThrillingTense
Heaviest: middle
Absurdist humor: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Register
PlayfulAbsurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its violent drug-war premise at a playful, knowing distance, using absurd buddy comedy and deflating every serious moment with a joke while keeping genuine warmth toward its leads.
The rideThe film shifts from low-stakes stoner comedy to a tense chase, with the most intense stretch during the middle when they are hunted by both the drug lord and police.
StructureA conventional setup-escalation-showdown structure: the murder witness setup, the long flee-and-hide chase, and the explosive barn confrontation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayYou leave grinning from the absurd chase comedy, warmed by the buddy bond and the happy, reconciled ending.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Voyage
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4% (this title): Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% (this title) · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed. · Survival ordeal: Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).

4% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe story is built on two ordinary stoners fleeing for their lives after witnessing a murder, a chase that dominates the middle and ends in a violent showdown where they fight their way back to safety.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFriendship
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4% (this title)
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Friendship · 9% of filmsLoyalty · 4% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the unlikely friendship between a process server and his drug dealer, tested through a life-threatening ordeal.
StanceThe film celebrates its primary theme of friendship (and the bonding powers of marijuana) through a goofy adventure, treating the violence as comic obstacle.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanSuburbanWildernessRealistic
Orchestral modernPopSupportive music · hybrid · Graeme Revell
SettingLos Angeles suburbia and its hidden drug trade, including an abandoned military bunker
MusicThe score mixes orchestral bursts with period-appropriate pop and funk tracks, underscoring the absurd action.

Content guide

Is Pineapple Express okay for kids?

R

Pineapple Express is rated R: “Rated R for pervasive language, drug use, sexual references and violence” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (87/100), sexual content at mild (32/100), language at severe (92/100), drug and alcohol content at severe (90/100) and frightening material at moderate (43/100). Overall it is heavier than 90% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 16 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada18A
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland18
  • JapanPG12
  • Brazil18
  • BGC
  • Hungary18
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway18
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/16
  • Russia18+
  • Sweden15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 94% of all filmsHeavier than 90% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 77%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 27%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 94%
Alcohol & Drugs
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 97%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 26%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language, drug and alcohol content, and violence. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Pineapple Express have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Pineapple Express?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Seth Rogen
as Dale Denton
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
James Franco
as Saul Silver
Globe nominee: Golden Globe nomination — Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or MusicalTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Gary Cole
as Ted Jones
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Rosie Perez
as Carol
Kevin Corrigan
as Budlofsky
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Craig Robinson
as Matheson
Amber Heard
as Angie Anderson
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Ed Begley Jr.
as Robert
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Nora Dunn
as Shannon
Bobby Lee
as Bobby
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Pineapple Express?

Movies like Pineapple Express include Superbad (2007), This Is the End (2013) and The Green Hornet (2011). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films written by Judd Apatow, and most are buddy comedies.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen wrote 4 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Pineapple Express?

2.2K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: action comedy. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.