My internet ceased to be a couple of weeks ago due to the stupidity of fellow house mates. Having recently reobtained said internet this weekend, one of the first actions set in motion was to download "Super High Me". What luck that on the morning of 4.20, said download was completed. Score!

So I take the few remaining crumbs that I was saving for a good night bong hit and promptly load the bowl before watching. Hey, it's 4/20 and I'm watching a movie called Super High Me. What else was I going to do?

First let me start by saying that this movie is funny. Is it 'must see' funny? No, I wouldn't say that. But if you're into your stoner humor, and I'm going out on a limb here by assuming the readers of this site are, then this movie will go a long way in making you laugh.

Unlike Super Size Me, the movie was shot over the course of two months. Doug Benson. the movie's guinea pig, was asked to initaly abstain from both weed and alcohol for 30 days before conducting the 30 days uber-smoking-fest. SAT tests, a full physical and even a test measuing psychic ability is applied during both months in order to measure the difference caused by smoking weed. As well as journaling Benson's physiological and mental changes, the film focuses otherwise on cannabis culture, specifically Californian cannabis culture. I mentioned in one of my front page news posts that I didn't know as much about the situation in the US regarding pot and its legal status. Id like to say that because of this movie I know a lot more.

Retrospectively, I'd say the film deals more with people's rights to smoke, State vs Federal law and the dispensaries more than Dough Benson himself. Twice in the movie you see shops being raided and the questionable legality surrounding the DEA's right as well as a "Rouge Cop" going around trying to single handedly shut down shops. Some of the stats in the film are fascinating but I have yet to follow up on any of them so can only take them at face value,

What I liked about the movie was that it wasn't purely an imitation Super Size Me which, if I'm honest, was more or less what I was expecting. Many of the movie's segments was comedian Doug Benson doing stand-up based on what was going on during the two months and was very welcome. I have to admit, he's much funnier when he's blazed out of his skull! One thing I wil give away is that Sarah Silverman smokes up in the back of a club with Benson ;)

Now, let's get one thing straight. The "experiment" might have been designed by someone with a Dr. title but this is not scientific, or rather not scientific enough that one can draw hard conclusions. In fact, near the beginning of the movie there is a disclaimer stating something along the lines of "Everyone reacts to pot differently. This film is a documentation of one person's reaction". That being said, some of the results surprised me. In particular the SAT results, but I won't give too much away! 

All in all a very entertaining. if not slightly shallow. look at cannabis culture and the exploits of one courageous stoner. Does it have it's faults? Sure. Did it live up to what I was expecting? Absolutely and a lot more. As mentioned earlier, I was expecting something along the lines a Green Super Size Me. Instead, what I got was a film that both educated and entertained me which is rare these days. The amount of research done is evident but the interview with the various big wigs in cannabis culture is where this movie really shines. It even has a senator giving an on camera interview! Another thing, however... The Prine of Pot. Marc Emery, seems like a bit of a douche. Now I get the feeling that their choice of how they edited his interview probably had something to do with that. You'll see what I mean if you watch the film.

A cedrtain blend of seriousness and comedy seems to be the earmark of popular docus these days and in that regard, Super High Me suceeded. Overall I strongly recommend this to anyone interested in the effects of pot but more so the legal status and history of medical marijuana in the U.S., California in specific.