by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
Comedian/musician duo Cheech & Chong have been doing it for five decades, and they still have their spark today. They helped define weed culture for generations. Long before Snoop Dogg became of the face of 4/20, Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong left their mark. But their lives were a lot more interesting than just being the faces of smoking weed, and Cheech & Chong’s Last Movie chronicles a 50-year parallel journey that collides in one of the most successful and influential pairings in the history of comedy.
To be frank, the duo’s journey contains a lot of information for just 123 minutes. A large amount of the film’s runtime is dedicated to their lives before they even crossed paths. This might seem like a bold choice, as the duo together is what sells the film, but director David Bushell and editor Brett Mason make the effective choices of sliding in archival footage to act as interludes — it captures Cheech & Chong’s dynamics, while delivering on their own individual journeys.
The archival footage highlights their humor and chemistry together. But overall, each person’s story offer up something different. Marin’s experience as a young man includes racism, cultural exploration, domestic abuse, and Vietnam War activism. His adolescence introduces plenty of rich and deep themes. On the other hand, Chong explored the music industry, poverty, bits of religion, and love and marriage. One of the most interesting elements of Bushell’s direction is the way he calls out Chong’s selfish behavior and aloofness, especially when tackling Chong’s adultery.
The film’s intermittent archival footage accomplishes multiple goals. One, it brings the laughs. A film about Cheech & Chong better gets you laughing, and seeing them in their prime is quite satisfying. The footage also helps demonstrate their scope, with all the different iconic interviewers and shows that are highlighted. For some of their specific stories, Bushell leverages hand-drawn animation to bring more personality to key moments. The minimalist animation is appropriate for the silly and fun stories, bring more texture to the film. Finally, the present-day Cheech & Chong are shown driving through the desert in an unexpected, framed narrative. This highlights their current personality and dynamic, as it has evolved over time. There are fun and creative comedic beats as well, of course. You need to deliver extra laughs, after all.
Despite all this, there are certainly flaws along the way, beginning with lulls in the narrative. Certain aspects of their lives that are overly expanded upon, while others are skated over. This delivers rushed elements, in stark contrast to the moments that crawl along. To a similar point, particular parts of their stories don’t get the needed exploration to be fully impactful. This is mostly in the case of Chong’s life, as he smooths over serious issues, and Bushnell gives little effort to explore them in some shape or form. There are simply moments where the film slows down, and it just feels like a tired account of someone’s life, making the two-hour runtime feel even longer.
Cheech & Chong’s Last Movie is a well-made film that does a rock-solid job of capturing the impressive footprint made by this comedy duo. There is surprising exploration of many themes, highlighting the intriguing lives that both Marin and Chong lived even before meeting. Even with its good laughs and creative storytelling, the film is not perfect, but it is an entertaining and informative experience.
Rating: Liked It
Cheech & Chong’s Last Movie is currently playing in theaters
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