Honest and very entertaining, The Stoned Age is one of those comedies that will quickly find a place among your favorite movies. It follows two metalhead stoners as their looking for a good time during one wild night. It perfectly captured that magical feeling of a night out when you’re thinking that anything might happen. Fueled by raging hormones and the drive to seize the day, it took me back to my teenage years. If you were an outcast those days, the setting will be a familiar one. Everything is here from arguments if you’re a pussy for listening to certain bands to lack of money for beer and weed. Ahhh, the memories. Ahhh, to be young again. The dialogue feels almost unscripted and natural, just like the likable characters. The entire movie has this charming vibe about it.
You might think that The Stoned Age is just another dumb comedy with everything said so far. However, there’s also a very intriguing examination of group dynamics, love, life, and sex underneath the main story. At times painfully realistic, it shows these unwritten rules we still can’t quite explain or grasp. Especially when it comes to hooking up. And then it has the perhaps best throwing up scene ever filmed in movie history. Okay, I forgot about that Monty Python one, so one of the best. Again, this takes me back but I better not get into details with this one. The performances from our young and talented cast were simply mesmerizing and very committed. Kopelow and Tatum were great leads and we also have the opportunity to see very young Clifton Collins Jr. as Tack.
Joe and Hubbs, two long-haired stoners are on a mission tonight. The mission is the same as every Saturday night, scrape enough money to buy some tallboys and weed and try to hook up with chicks. Although the only thing they have at this point is a giant jug of peppermint schnapps. This particular night they run into this guy they know, Tack, who tells them there’s a mean party happening down at Torrance Beach. The party is actually much meaner then they think as it’s actually Crump’s Brother party. He just got out of jail for beating up a guy who narrowly survived the incident…
For a movie titled The Stoned Age, our two heroes smoke a surprisingly small amount of marijuana. At least they drink copious amounts of beer and schnapps. Oh, how could I forget the schnappsteroony. The plot featured here is eerily similar to Superbad that came out some thirteen years later. Down to the cop who keeps reminiscing about his own youth. Again, it makes me wonder whether this cop is us, all grown up watching these young men and women have fun, pining about our age. Well, not exactly age but the choices we made. But, I guess that’s what happens when a laser hits you during a concert. And just to be clear, American Graffiti, released in 1973 laid the foundations for this movie. So, there’s nothing wrong with building upon these stories.
Over the years, I’ve watched The Stoned Age straight, drunk, stoned, and drunk and stoned. And it was always a fun and uplifting experience. It’s the ultimate party movie that you can count on to cheer you up. As soon as you hear the first notes of Black Sabbath’s Paranoid you’ll be hooked. You’ll unconsciously start moving in the rhythm, ready to pounce on the tall boy in front of you. Finally, if you’re looking for similar movies Dazed and Confused is a must. And while we’re on this subject I have to say that I love both these movies equally and that they really cannot be compared. Next up we have two similarly themed nineties movies Airheads and Detroit Rock City. You can top off the whole thing with some Idle Hands. Enjoy.
Director: James Melkonian
Writer: James Melkonian, Rich Wilkes
Cast: Michael Kopelow, Bradford Tatum, China Kantner, Renee Allman, Clifton Collins Jr., David Groh, Michael Wiseman,
Fun Facts: Blue Öyster Cult band members Eric Bloom and Donald Roeser appear after the credits standing outside of a store trying to sell bootleg t-shirts for $5.
IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111293/
Rating:
