Pretty Stoned (2023) – Review/ Summary (with Spoilers)

In the pursuit of the next “Half Baked” or “How High,” MTV presents its latest attempt to make a classic in “Pretty Stoned.”

Director(s)	Jonathan Hawk
Screenplay By	Blayne Weaver
Date Released (MTV)	April 19, 2023
Genre(s)	Action, Comedy, Crime, Young Adult
Duration	2 Hours
Content Rating	TV-14
Noted Cast
Stella	Pretty Vee
Darcy	Paris Berelc
Leila	Skye Townsend
Madame X	Kandi Burruss
Tick-Tock	Brandee Evans
Cameo	Jess Hilarious
Junebug	Navv Greene

This content contains pertinent spoilers.

Film Summary

Stella is a bit of a slacker and a total stoner. If something is easy, chill, and allows her to hit her joint, she’ll do it. Hence her dreams of owning a smoke shop in California. As for Darcy? She is high-strung and wants to be a manager, but between anxiety and insecurities, she struggles.

The story begins when Stella fakes sick at a job she and Darcy share, and she sets up Darcy to be fired. To assert herself, Darcy goes to Stella’s house, messes with her vibe, and flushes over $20,000 worth of pot. In doing so, she forces herself and Stella to deal with a slew of eccentric characters, of which some want to murder Stella, and especially Darcy.

Things To Note

Why Is “Pretty Stoned” Rated TV-14

• Dialog: Inconsistently bleeped cursing throughout
• Violence: Physical altercations where you can tell blows aren’t connecting
• Sexual Content: Scenes in a strip club with scantily clad women
• Miscellaneous: A whole lot of weed smoking and scenes with people drinking

Character Descriptions

Please Note: This character guide is not an exhaustive list of every cast member, and character descriptions may contain what can be considered spoilers.

Stella

Stella is a hair and makeup artist by trade, but what she really wants to do with her life is open a weed shop in California, which sounds of the ilk you’d find in Amsterdam. However, due to her chill attitude and preference for smoking weed, celebrate 4/20, and avoid the hardships required to have her business, it isn’t clear whether her dream may come true.

• You May Also Know The Actor From Being: Herself in “Wild N’ Out”

Darcy

Darcy struggles with what appears to be anxiety, insecurities, and potentially more, which leads to her often doing affirmations and other means to soothe herself. This is especially true when put in high-stress situations. Yet, despite how stress affects her, she desires to move up the ladder and become a manager. She isn’t necessarily specific about where, as she would manage the beauty shop she formerly worked in, but she knows she could do more than what she does.

• You May Also Know The Actor From Being: Alexa Mendoza in “Alexa & Katie,” Liz in “Tall Girl,” and Meghan in “Do Revenge.”

Leila

Leila is a bohemian type, who is notably eccentric, and is one of Madame X’s many henchwomen.

• You May Also Know The Actor From Being: Various Characters in “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” Tara in “Christmas Party Crashers,” and Jade Taylor in “8 Days A Week.”

Madame X

Madame X is a notable and notorious drug queenpin, whose product “Pink Hashmeena” is worth $20,000 and a hot commodity.

• You May Also Know The Actor From Being: Roselyn Perry in “The Chi” and herself in “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”

Tick-Tock

Tick-Tock is the middle person for Madame X’s drug empire, who is well known for being quite violent, but she has been trying to be far more zen. Though, from her minions to the people she has to force to act right, even rollerblading doesn’t keep her calm for long.

• You May Also Know The Actor From Being: Mercedes in “P-Valley” and Sage in “The Family Business”

Cameo

Cameo is one of Tick-Tock’s minions who wants to become a rapper.

Junebug

Junebug is one of Tick-Tock’s minions who has dreams of doing comedy.

• You May Also Know The Actor From Being: Herself in “Wild N’ Out,” Zena in “2 Minutes of Fame,” and Brittany in “Rel.”

Review

Our Rating: Mixed (Divisive)

Highlights

The Chemistry Of The Leads

The chemistry between Pretty Vee and Paris Berelc is unexpected and does so much for the film. Mind you, are either one hilarious in this film? Absolutely not. But you can imagine, in different hands, how great they could be together.

It’s Corny But Likable

By no means is “Pretty Stoned” trying to be a classic or even has enough about it for you to imagine MTV or any sister channel playing this as a yearly movie. However, I don’t think you should discount how comical the film is, even if it is corny. Skye Townsend, as Leila, is a scene stealer and continues to show she is by no means a nepo baby. I’d even add how comical the villains, like Tick-Tock, Madame X, and even the bumbling Cameo and Junebug, are.

Mind you, at most you may get a chuckle, but I did watch this sober, and maybe if I was high, that would enhance the jokes?

On The Fence

It Can Feel Bloated At Times

Part of what undoes “Pretty Stoned” is the amount of recognizable faces seemingly added for some semblance of star power. Yet, of them all, only Townsend proves themselves worth more than name recognition. Everyone else, including the various Wild N’ Out alumni? They are inconsistent, and forgettable, and when you expand beyond them? You increasingly are left feeling that “Pretty Stoned” is the type of film that shouldn’t have been more than an hour. For if it cut the fat of Madame X, Tick Tock’s goons, and maybe even Stella’s roommate? It could have been good rather than just something to watch.

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