I'm not going to say that the movie isn't funny. There are a number of sequences that are laugh-out-loud funny. The problem is that the story lacks cohesiveness, despite the talent involved. Franco stands out as the funny counterpart to, despite being a stereotypical stoner, Rogen's "straight man" persona. The cast says that the movie is a "bromantic comedy" and I guess if that's what they were going for, it succeeded on a small level. The chemistry between Rogen and Franco is great, and most of the laughs in the movie come when they are both on the screen.

Rogen and Franco could easily have been swapped with Cheech and Chong. No offense to the creators of stoner comedy but Rogen and Franco are capable of delivering a better story. What is becoming the Apatow troupe's trademark is the quick shifting of gears between two genres. In "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," there is the serious break-up the main character deals with, but it's mixed with penis and Muppet jokes. In "Superbad," a quest for beer leads two teenagers to deal with their coming of age. The list goes on, but it all comes down to the ability of very talented writers and actors to piece together a movie that not only makes the audience laugh but also offers a clear and precise point. That failed in "Pineapple Express." When the serious part of the movie kicks in, the characters become unbelievable and the audience will be left with the feeling that the ending was rushed.

This isn't of the same caliber as "Superbad" and it's no "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" either. It lies a bit further on the shelf, but is still way better than any comedy that Adam Sandler has churned out lately.

Rogen's next movie puts him in the lead for Kevin Smith's "Zack and Miri Make a Porno." Smith and Rogen are a great fit. And with Rogen sharpening his delivery it'll be great to see him working with Smith's stylized dialogue.