Review of Half Baked (1998) by Maksim B — 31 Aug 2016

So bad that it has turned into a cool and legendary 90s comedy, Half-Baked is a fine example of how to make a poor, but ultimately cool movie. Goofy, shallow and definitely sharpless (if compared to similarly themed comedies from nowadays), this is a movie that appeals hugely to viewers who had their pre-teen or teen years in the 90s. Loaded with heavy nostalgia it will certainly destroy a sufficient amount of brain-cells if you see it, but it would also make you laugh out most of the time.

The movie tells the story of 4 childhood friends, whose love for weed has kept them together for years. When one of them is sent to prison, the Thurgood Jenkins (Dave Chappelle), Brian (Jim Breuer) and Scarface (Guillermo Diaz) need to find a way to collect the amount necessary for Kenny's (Harland Williams) release. The best idea they come up with is to start selling marijuana which drags them into series of funny events.

Needless to say, when it comes to plot, story-telling and even technical aspects such as editing, Half-Baked is totally poor delivery. It is so poor and never taking itself seriously that it is truly reaching a cult level. Add-up the marijuana-centered topic and the ridiculously bad acting of the cast and you will get something outrageously funny. Towards the second half and the end, Tamra Davis' delivery loses a serious part of its funny elements, as it becomes more preachy and mushy, but nevertheless the overall enjoyment of watching something that bad and absurd remains until the end.

In conclusion, Half-Baked is one of the examples of movies which are so bad, that they actually receive a cult status due to their specific topic or right moment of release. If you have grown-up in the 90s and find even a small similarity with some of characters or events (if you know what I mean ;) ) you will certainly enjoy it!