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Several stoner movies have been made over the years. While some are mid, several are hilarious no matter how many times you watch them. Today, I’d like to share my favorite stoner movies from across the decades. But first, I need to clarify what counts as a stoner movie and how I picked the films that made this list.
What’s a Stoner Movie?
Stoner movies have storylines that focus primarily on characters who get high and into hilarious hijinks. So, even though every American Pie movie is comedy gold, they aren’t stoner movies.
You’ll also find several best stoner movie lists with films like Superbad even though none of the main characters smoked weed at any point. My best stoner films compilation won’t be making this mistake. I’ll be sharing only movies where cannabis played a big role in the plot or took at least one main character on some wacky adventure.
You don’t need a blunt to enjoy these movies because they can get you high on pure dopamine, endorphins, and laughter. But you’ll likely laugh harder if you spark one up before the movie starts. And now that we’re clear on what type of films you can expect from this list, let me introduce you to the best movies about stoners you may or may not have seen.
The Best Stoner Movies of All Time
1. Dude, Where’s My Car? (2000)
“Dude, Where’s My Car?” was the perfect way to usher in the new millennium. Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott bro up for this ridiculously funny stoner classic. The story is simple – two stoners wake up after a fun night and can’t remember what happened to their car. The search for the missing vehicle leads them on one heck of an adventure that climaxes with a sexy alien invasion of all things.
I won’t say more for spoiler reasons, but if you haven’t seen this movie, you definitely should. It’s currently available on Amazon and Disney+.
2. How High (2001)
Seriously, the early 2000s were peak for stoner movies. Starring rap duo Method Man and Redman, this unexpectedly zany comedy follows the story of two young black men getting into Harvard. Lots of weed jokes and weed smoking with the unexpected side effect of seeing ghosts.
I won’t tell you how the ghosts fit into the story, but one of them was John Quincy Adams, the 6th President of the United States. You also get Mike Epps as a baby powder-slinging pimp. You want to know what that means? Check out How High on Tubi, Bilibili, or Amazon.
3. The Harold & Kumar Franchise (2004 – 2011)
In the spirit of fairness, I’m listing the Harold & Kumar franchise as one movie. Otherwise, all three would earn high-ranking spots on this compilation. And if you haven’t figured it out, every Harold and Kumar movie is my favorite stoner movie, with special love going to the 2008 sequel.
The first one, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, introduces us to our 420 protagonists looking to satisfy their munchies with White Castle burgers. But the trip to get burgers ends up being filled with misadventures, including being seduced by swingers in the woods. If you think that’s not so bad, the male swinger’s name is Freakshow, and he looks it.
The sequel, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, has a special place in my heart because it’s the first one I ever saw. As the name implies, the movie is about our friends escaping from Guantanamo. I won’t tell you how they got there, but I will tell you that George Bush himself saves them with a pardon while hiding from Dick Cheney.
Then there’s the threequel, A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas. It’s possibly the best stoner Christmas movie you’ll ever see, and it has some 3D shots. There’s a cocaine-addicted baby, a killer waffle robot, and Santa who eventually saves the day.
Guest starring in all three movies is Neil Patrick Harris as a deranged sex addict and drug abuser. Oh and he’s apparently immortal. If you aren’t a fan of dark humor, you’ll probably find his character disturbing, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying the wacky adventures of Harold & Kumar.
Watch every Harold & Kumar movie on Amazon.
4. EuroTrip (2004)
EuroTrip is one of those movies that’s best enjoyed with friends and family as long as they aren’t conservative or particularly religious. It’s a blast of a stoner movie, even though the characters only get baked (sort of) during their stopover in Amsterdam. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you might even pee a little — all from laughing.
Vinnie Jones pops up for a bit as a soccer hooligan in the UK. SNL alum, Fred Armisen, also shows up as a creepy Italian guy. Here’s a clip
You can watch EuroTrip on Amazon.
5. Paul (2011)
Every Simon Pegg x Nick Frost collab is a banger, and Paul is no exception. While I don’t categorically consider it a stoner movie, having an alien played by Seth Rogen getting stoned is hard to overlook. The story is similar to ET, but obviously less serious, especially with the SNL alums that make an appearance – Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig. If these namedrops don’t convince you to see this movie, what about Sigourney Weaver?
Get Paul on Amazon.
6. Ted (2012)
Ted 2 is more of a stoner movie than Ted, but only the original makes my list of best stoner movies because it’s funnier than the sequel. You have a breathing, snorting, and humping teddy bear living the stoner life with his best friend and roommate, played by Mark Wahlberg. Lots of hijinks and surprisingly even more heart.
While several scenes are memorable, the one that frequently replays in my head is the job interview, because… Just watch the clip:
Watch Ted on Prime Video.
7. Soul Plane (2004)
Before Kevin Hart blew up, there was Soul Plane. A black comedy packed with more stars than you think, including Sophia Vergara, Method Man, and not surprisingly, Snoop Dogg. Hart’s character, Nashawn, suffers a butt injury on an airline, sues, gets paid, and uses the money to start his own airline, “NWA Airlines.”
The movie covers the ridiculousness that follows during NWA’s first flight, ending with the plane crash landing and most passengers high AF. If you like wild black comedies, you definitely should add this to the menu for your next smoke session.
Watch Soul Plane on Apple TV.
8. Scary Movie 1&2 (2000 – 2001)
Did you really think Scary Movie wouldn’t make the best stoner movies list? Shout out to Anna Faris’ Cindy Campbell, the only scream queen I’ll ever need. Every Scary Movie is a spoof of iconic horror movies, but the first and second movies do it the best.
Marlon Wayans’ Shorty Meeks is the primary pothead in these movies, but other characters occasionally get high, including Ghostface. You want to know what else Meeks did?
Watch Scary Movie 1 & 2 on Apple TV.
Honorable Mentions that Didn’t Make the Cut
Pineapple Express (2008)
For many, Pineapple Express is the quintessential stoner movie. But not for me. In fact, before writing this article, I watched it again to make sure I wasn’t being unfair, and I still found it quite unfunny. Then there’s the scene where the mid-20s protagonist makes out with his freshly 18 girlfriend, right in the middle of the lobby of her high school. Do with that what you will.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m a big fan of Seth Rogen x James Franco collabs. Chef’s kisses for The Interview and This Is the End. But Pineapple Express just didn’t do it for me. Still though, it was a pleasure to see a baby-faced Danny McBride. His scenes were probably the funniest throughout the movie.
Friday (1995)
Not adding any of the Friday movies to my list might dishonor the melanin in my skin, but I just don’t think of it as a stoner movie. For me, it’s more of a “coming of age” movie with Ice Cube’s Craig learning to be a man who stands up for himself.
Sure, Chris Tucker’s Smokey and Cube’s Craig smoked a lot, but the movie was rarely about the smoking. In fact, the most memorable smoking incident for me was Smokey getting spiked weed from the vatos, getting paranoid, running around naked, and hiding in a chicken coop. So, no – not a stoner movie for me, much less one of the best stoner movies.
Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice (1996)
Honestly, the only reason this didn’t make my best stoner movies list is I don’t remember much of it. I mean, 1996 was a long time ago, and unlike Friday, I saw this movie just once. One scene that occasionally flashes in my head is the hood bullies been threatened with an armed ballistic missile in the back of a van.
Marlon Wayans’ Loc Dog does most of the weed smoking, but the story is primarily about Shawn Wayans’ Ashtray. He’s relocated to the hood for reasons I can’t remember, and as you can expect, one misadventure follows another. Also, my opinion, you might enjoy this movie more if you’re on the melanin spectrum – just saying.
Do you have a stoner movie you think should have made the cut? Enlighten us in the comments.
