Over the years, the term “stoner film” has become the name of a genre full of movies about getting high using marijuana. Some films are marked for the genre because of a character’s drug use. Sometimes the term is given to films that are not even about marijuana smokers. This is incorrect. A true stoner film not only has marijuana smoking in the plot but also has the entire point of the film focused on getting high or following problems that getting high causes. The presence of a bong in a scene is simply not enough. Only a handful of films have managed to stick to the true stoner genre without sacrificing the entertainment value of the movie. Here are the 10 best stoner films of all time, in no certain order.
1. “Up In Smoke”
This 1978 film starring the comedy duo Cheech and Chong is the classic stoner tale. It follows two pot delivery men as they go about their day, spreading their marijuana smoke and wares around Los Angeles. “Up in Smoke” set the framework for stoner films that modern movies in the genre still follow.
2. “Bongwater”
In 1997, the names Jack Black, Jamie Kennedy and Luke Wilson were not well known. However, these comedians later garnered admiration and fans for their stoner humor. “Bongwater” is an indie film that begins with a fire started by a bong. The story then follows a pot dealer and his stoner friends. It is a little-known stoner film that launched a few major comedy actors.
3. “Super Troopers”
A 2001 saga about the state highway patrols is not the typical setup for a stoner film, but “Super Troopers” is not your typical film in any way. The movie follows two troopers trying to catch notorious teenage pot heads. The troopers are also trying to expose a crooked politician. Their ammunition against the corruption is weed, which makes this film more hilarious than it gets credit for.
4. “Half Baked”
Having a friend who works in a pot-testing facility is every stoner’s dream. However, this dream is quickly turned into a nightmare after a munchies-fueled snack run turns bad. The 1998 movie “Half Baked” is a stoner’s story of friendship. It also speaks to the many ways that getting the munchies can ruin an evening.
5. “Friday”
Friday” is the 1995 film that launched the acting careers of Ice Cube and Chris Tucker. It also became the foundation for a stoner comedy franchise. The friends Craig (Ice Cube) and Smokey (Chris Tucker) smoke weed and drink their way into and out of trouble throughout the film. The crux of the trouble is Smokey’s problems with his boss, drug dealer Big Worm, played by the comedian Donald Faizon.
6. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle”
Doogie Houser returns in the 2004 stoner hit “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.” Another franchise foundation, the film features another set of stoners with munchy problems. During their far-fetched, but hilarious quest for a slider, Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) meet Neil Patrick Harris. Harris plays an outrageous caricature of himself, poking fun at his Doogie Houser, child-star past.
7. “How High”
Stoners in college seem like an oxymoron, but the 2001 film “How High” proves otherwise. The film centers around two friends, played by Method Man and Red Man, who smoke pot from a plant grown from the ashes of a much smarter friend named Ivory (Chuck Davis). They get into college and turn the campus up onto its end in this stoner film.
8. “Pineapple Express”
The 2008 film “Pineapple Express” is about two men–a dealer and a smoker–who get caught up in a murder and corruption scandal. The dealer, played by James Franco, and the smoker, played by Seth Rogen, bumble their way through this stoner film. They are always high, which tends to get in the way of their efforts to stay alive.
9. “Reefer Madness”
“Reefer Madness” is the oldest stoner movie and was made in 1936. It wasn’t created for entertainment or comedic purposes, surprisingly. “Reefer Madness” was produced to prevent teens from using marijuana. In the 1970s, the film became a cult classic as a comedy because of the outlandish propaganda message it tries and fails to make.
10. “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Another franchise film, “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” follows two characters found in several of director Kevin Smith’s movies. Smith also plays Silent Bob alongside Jason Mewes as Jay. In the other movies, Jay and Silent Bob spend their days smoking weed and standing outside a convenience store. In this 2001 film, however, the duo leave their perch for a cross-country quest to stop a biographical movie about the two of them. The movie is being made without their permission and financial consideration.
Stoner movies are fun and funny. They are sometimes silly and always poke fun at themselves, even if it is unintentional. Although they are not the critically acclaimed features that win Academy Awards, stoner films are cult classics that everyone has seen or heard about at some point in life. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be stoned to enjoy them.
