Half Baked is the Cheech and Chong movie of the Nineties
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If drugs offend you then you may want to just stop reading now, because this movie is a comedy about drugs. It is also a very funny film about drugs and makes absolutely no attempt to tell the audience that drugs are bad. A supporting character is named Mary Jane Potman, and she is the token anti-drug force in the early part of the film. "Half Baked" is the Cheech and Chong movie of the Nineties and if drug use is something that you deem offensive, then the simple fact that this movie constantly features images of comedians getting stoned off of their asses will probably send you into convulsions and fits. Again, if you fear this may happen, then this movie is definitely not for you. It is for those of us that enjoy hearty laughs and can appreciate the humor involved in the drug culture and the hilarity of situations that can befall upon a pothead.
Part of the reason "Half Baked" is so damn funny is the great cast and plethora of cameos. A very young Dave Chappelle is on top of his game and shows why he found fame on Comedy Central. The always entertaining Harland Williams has a supporting role, as does Jim Breuer and Guillermo Diaz. The four men make for believable potheads and goofballs. And the cameos? This is an impressive list of talent: Laura Silverman, Tommy Chong, Jon Stewart, Snoop Dogg, Stephen Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Willie Nelson, Janeane Garofalo, Bob Saget and Steven Wright. It surprised me at the number of familiar faces that decided to take part in a movie that is about weed and the beauty and comedy of it. Steven Wright as the Guy on the Coach is one of the absolute best cameos in the history of cinema. If you don´t believe me, check it out.
"Half Baked" is about four friends, Thurgood (Dave Chappelle), Scarface (Guillermo Diaz), Brian (Jim Breuer) and Kenny (Harland Williams). One night, after engaging in some strong pot in the biggest bong you will ever see, Kenny is sent out to gather food to satisfy the drug induced munchies. Kenny buys lots of sweets, pizza and other oddities, but finds a hungry police horse and feeds it half of the food he purchases. Bad thing for Kenny is that the horse is diabetic and croaks. This lands Kenny in jail, where he is deathly afraid to become the public "bitch" and find his rear orifice a popular place in prison. The friends find a supply of potent medicinal marijuana and figure the best way to bust Kenny out of jail is to sell the dope and get pay Kenny´s bail. Along the way, Thurgood meets the wholesome and beautiful Mary Jane (Rachel True) and tries to spend time romancing her and working to save his friend from the evils of prison.
Written by Dave Chappelle and Neal Brennan and directed by Tamra Davis (CB4, Billy Madison, Best Men) wife of Beastie Boy Mike D., "Half Baked" is brought to life by some people who are more-than-likely familiar with marijuana and had no problem decorating sets with weed and making one of the funniest drug films ever. I wouldn´t say this film is better than "Up in Smoke," or perhaps one of the other Cheech & Chong films, but this is the best one to be made since the two funnymen drove their weed fan down a Los Angeles highway. The performances by Chappelle, Breuer and Harland Williams are the main reasons that this film is so darn funny. The situations are absolutely hilarious and some of the drug sequences pay homage to "Strange Brew," the old "Batman" television series and other pop culture icons. A Jerry Garcia look-alike graces the screen and Chappelle´s other role in the film, Sir Smoke-a-Lot is pure comedy gold when you consider the present state of the rap world.
Never once was I offended or put off by "Half Baked." I laughed and I laughed at many of the situations. I would be lying if I did not witness some of this type of humor at a few Penn State parties and Jim Breuer´s character in the film strongly reminds me of a friend´s roommate from my college days. The film doesn´t ever come out and suggest you should get stoned, nor does it ever try to paint pot in a highly romantic manner. It is all about the laughs and the film constantly reminds you that it is a comedy about some of the foolishness associated with getting stoned. Watching a ´clean´ Kenny trying to tell himself he is a man and not a fish from within his prison cell and looking into a mirror, while his friends have a "Superman" moment outside is the type of humor you get here. I got the humor and I enjoyed it. The comedians are great and I enjoyed all of the funny cameos. "Half Baked" is a trippin´ good time and shows how damn funny Chappelle can be.
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[release]20559[/release]