Cheech and Chong's Next Movie

Cheech and Chong's Next Movie (1980)

** (out of 4)

This follow up to UP IN SMOKE really doesn't have any plot but just a bunch of gags dealing with Cheech and Chong getting into various bits of trouble and yes, most of it deals with pot. CHEECH AND CHONG'S NEXT MOVIE is a surprisingly lame and tame movie that hasn't aged very well at all. I remember watching this back in the day and thinking it was at least a middle ground C&C movie but when viewed today I have to wonder if I was smoking something myself. I think the biggest problem is that there's really no story here. Sure, UP IN SMOKE wasn't Shakespeare but it at least had the characters doing some fun stuff on their various journeys. Those journeys here just aren't all that memorable and even worse is the fact that we get very few laughs that work. You know you're in trouble when you get C&C, pot and aliens and no laughs. There's a long running gag set inside a sex house but there aren't any laughs to be found here either. Even some of the opening bits aren't nearly as funny as one would hope for but if a gun was at my head I'd say that the pee and bag of "cocaine" would be the best of the film. Needless to say, both Cheech and Chong are very good in their roles and we also get a fun performance by Paul Reubens. Cutl fans will also spot Cassandra Peterson, Michael Winslow and John Steadman who some might remember from THE HILLS HAVE EYES. I guess fans of the comedy duo will want to see everything the group did but there's no question that this here isn't one of their best.