Tagline: “From the guys who brought you Superbad.â€
Translation: “…but with a different onetime indie star directing us.â€
The verdict: It’s not necessarily as though North Carolina–based independent director David Gordon Green’s career needed resuscitation; his recent film, Snow Angels, was warmly received at Sundance, and it wasn’t so long ago that we were all getting blown away by George Washington and All the Real Girls. Nonetheless, this red-band trailer for summer comedy Pineapple Express reveals that Green has followed Superbad’s Greg Mottola in discovering that signing on with Team Apatow is the easiest way to make a hit comedy and retain your indie cred. Will it work? We must admit it’s an intriguing match; though the trailer includes funny moments from stars Seth Rogen and James Franco — plus glimpses of such beloved bit players as Gary Cole, Craig Robinson, and Nora Dunn — it’s the movie’s dreamy, stoned rhythm and its lovely, slow shots that seem the most DGGian, and the most interesting. We predict a monster hit that is in no way predictive of David Gordon Green’s future commercial success.