A 2008 American stoner action comedy directed by David Gordon Green, written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and starring Rogen and James Franco. Producer Judd Apatow, who previously worked with Rogen and Goldberg on Knocked Up and Superbad, assisted in developing the story, which was partially inspired by the buddy comedy subgenre. The film was released on August 6, 2008. Franco was nominated for a Golden Globe award for his performance in the film.

Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) is a 25-year-old process server who witnesses the dangerous drug lord, Ted Jones (Gary Cole), and a corrupt cop, Officer Carol Brazier (Rosie Perez) committing murder. Dale panics and leaves his roach at the scene containing a rare strain of marijuana called Pineapple Express. Ted subsequently identifies Dale's roach as the strain that he had sold to only one dealer. Ted sends his two henchmen, Budlofsky and Matheson (Kevin Corrigan and Craig Robinson) to the dealer, Red (Danny McBride), who discloses that he has only sold the pot to Dale's dealer, Saul Silver (James Franco).

Dale flees to Saul's apartment in a panic and explains what happened. After a brief conversation, Dale realises Ted could trace the roach back to Saul. Dale and Saul flee into the nearby woods, while Ted's henchmen persuade Red to arrange a meeting between Saul and Red, but fails because Dale and Saul spend the night in the woods. Both dispose of their cell phones out of fear that they could be triangulated by Brazier. After sleeping within 18 hours, Dale and Saul arrive at Red's house and hope that talking with Red in person will help them determine whether Ted has linked them, and therefore whether he is in pursuit. Instead, Dale decides that Red will reveal their whereabouts to Ted, and Dale, Saul, and Red fight each other. Convinced that Ted's henchmen are pursuing them, Dale and Saul decide that they must leave the city. Dale visits his girlfriend, Angie (Amber Heard) at her house to warn her and her parents (Nora Dunn and Ed Begley, Jr.), but Angie's father doesn't believe Dale. Ted's henchmen pursue Dale and Saul to Angie's house, and Angie and her parents goes into hiding. To leave town, Dale and Saul sell some of Saul's Pineapple Express to raise bus fare. However, a police officer arrests Dale for smoking a joint and arrests him for selling the weed to middle school kids. Dale convinces the arresting officer that Officer Brazier is corrupt. Saul eventually rescue Dale by hijacking the squad car, while Officer Brazier hears a police radio call of Dale's arrest. Officer Brazier pursues Dale and Saul in a high speed chase, but Dale and Saul successfully evade her.

Dale and Saul argue with each other about the mess they have found themselves in, resulting in Dale telling Saul that they are not friends and never were. Dale and Saul go their separate ways, angry and upset. Saul visits his grandmother in an assisted living home and finds Ted's henchmen, who kidnap him and holds him hostage in Ted's lair. Dale enlists Red to help him to rescue Saul from Ted and Officer Brazier, but Red unexpectedly backs out at the last minute and Dale is captured. While Dale and Saul are held hostage, they reconcile with each other and make plans to escape. Meanwhile, a rival Asian drug gang attacks the barn to avenge a member's death at the hands of Ted and Officer Brazier, the same murder that Dale had witnessed. Dale and Saul finally free themselves, but are caught by Matheson. Matheson grazes Dale in the ear with a gunshot, but is disarmed and shot by Saul. Dale and Saul carry on and join the fight, but are separated after Ted intervenes. Dale and Ted endure a brawl that results in Ted's death when one of the Asians (Ken Jeong) sets off a bomb that completely destroys the barn. Meanwhile, Matheson kills Budlofsky for refusing to kill Saul when he had the chance. Before Matheson can kill Saul, Red breaks through the wall with his car, running over Matheson and eventually kills him. While Saul thanks Red, Officer Brazier reaches for a gun and shoots Red, which seemingly kills him. The bomb goes off, first exploding under Red's car and it falls on top of Officer Brazier and finally kills her. Dale carries Saul out of the burning barn. Just as Saul awakens, Red crawls from the wreckage of the barn. The film ends with Dale, Saul, and Red at a diner eating breakfast and celebrating their friendship as Saul's grandmother picks them up and takes them to the hospital for treatment.