Trailers
Description
An unemployed pot-smoking slacker and amateur drummer, Anthony Stoner ditches his strict parents and hits the road, eventually meeting kindred spirit Pedro de Pacas. While the drug-ingesting duo is soon arrested for possession of marijuana, Anthony and Pedro get released on a technicality, allowing them to continue their many misadventures and ultimately compete in a rock band contest, where they perform the raucous tune "Earache My Eye."
Starring
Awards
Key opinion
Up in Smoke is widely regarded as a seminal cult classic that defined the stoner comedy genre, anchored by the iconic chemistry between Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong. While its legacy as a funny, lighthearted experience remains strong for many, others dismiss it as an aimless, repetitive film with a thin script and potentially harmful themes.
| Acting | The chemistry and comedic timing of Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong serve as the film's primary engine, defining its lasting cult appeal. | |
| Pacing | The film's pacing is uneven, with strong, high-energy humor in the opening act that significantly loses momentum and freshness as the narrative progresses. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is viewed by some as an ingenious, free-wheeling classic of the genre, while others criticize it as essentially plotless, repetitive, and overly reliant on drug-centric tropes. | |
| Humor | The humor is polarizing, with fans finding the absurd situations and character antics genuinely hilarious and others finding the jokes gross, dull, or niche-dependent. | |
| Theme | The film's depiction of drug use is contentious, with some viewers praising its harmless, anarchic fun and others condemning it as irresponsible propaganda that risks normalizing harmful behavior. |