Sean Lamberger A politically-conscious documentary that steps in to cover the months after world-famous doper Tommy Chong's arrest (for the illegal cross-state sale of glass pipes) but before his nine-month prison sentence. Along the way, we get a quick-and-dirty look at the polarizing comedian's life and times, the roots of his legendary partnership with Cheech Marin, and the state's over-ambitious case against him. Judging by the facts we're presented, there's little question Tommy was entrapped and railroaded by a media-hungry federal watchdog group, but to his credit Chong takes it all in stride, serves his time and emerges ready to take up the cause as a rejuvenated activist. Pro-legalisation viewers will be nodding their heads like a bobble-head from start to finish, while the peek into our government's priorities, practices and punishments might give fence-sitters a few new things to consider. Moral crusaders, on the other hand, will see an entirely different story. At just shy of 80 minutes, it only scratches the surface of an intrinsically deep, complicated political debate. Light viewing with a few mild laughs, it reports the facts and offers a take but isn't equipped to do any really heavy digging.

Michael O'Keefe A mind-opening documentary showing tax payers money being spent frivolously. Tommy Chong, half of the famous and outrageously funny stoner team of Cheech and Chong, found himself in the slammer for his secondary career. Selling 'bongs'..colorful water pipes often used to consume marijuana. Chong became a primary target in a government sting called "Operation Pipe Dreams" under the guiding eyes of Attorney General John Ashcroft and Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan.Of all the people indicted and prosecuted in the sting, with only one or two priors, Chong was the only one to receive a jail sentence...nine months in minimum security at Taft, California. Supposedly the harsh punishment was because Tommy making fun of the government's anti-drug efforts in the movie UP IN SMOKE. Chong now jokes about the only Weapons of Mass Destruction that the Bush Administration has every found is his bongs.Lesson: it might not be good in the long run to joke about DEA, IRS, CIA or Homeland Security. Innocent or not...they can do anything they want to do. Archive footage with pro and con comment include: Paul Moyer, Jay Leno, Bill Maher,George Thorogood, Ronald Reagan, Peter Coyote, Lou Adler, Cheech Marin, Alan M. Dershowitz and George W. Bush.

johno-21 I saw this at the 2006 Palm Springs International Film Festival and Tommy Chong and his wife Shelby and director Josh Gilbert were on hand to take Q&A after. This is the story of how a couple of Mary's, US Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan and Assistant US Attorney Mary Mckeen Houghton brought down the comic king of Mary Jane, Tommy Chong. Chong was busted in Operation Pipedream for operating an internet business that was selling glass bongs. This was illegal to ship these products to the states of Pennsylvania and Iowa. Chong's company knew it was illegal to ship to Pennsylvania but did so anyway and got busted. What were they thinking? Where they high or something? uh, never mind. Chong claimed that it was unfortunate that the US Government couldn't distinguish between the character he plays and his real persona. But Chong however had his character printed on the bongs he sold and went around making public appearances at head shops which kind of showed that he himself was using his character to promote his bong sales. The Feds basically were saying that they were using his character against him because he was using his character for profit in glamorizing pot smoking. He waived indictment to a Grand Jury and plead guilty and served nine months at the medium security Taft prison in California. I would think that Chongs reemergence in the media as a recurring character burnout Leo on the popular TV comedy "That 70's Show" that appeals to a largely teenage audience helped seal his fate of them using his celebrity status against him. Having nearly a pound of pot in house when it was raided probably didn't help with his defense that he was not the character from the Cheech & Chong movies in real life. This movie is shot on video not film and is heavily slanted as anti John Ashcroft and Bush Administration. Footage of Bill Maher and Jay Leno talking about the unfair bust is included here but they do political and entertainment humor so that's a natural and Cheech Marin is shown talking about his former partner but why is George Thorogood included? This is no Ken Burns film as documentaries go but it does have a lot of humor and room for plenty of thought. I would give it a 6.5 of a possible 10 and recommend it.

ad4realtor It should have been called Farenheit 420, AkA is the best Documentary to ever come out!! Revealing who the person is behind the huge cloud of white smoke and bushy beard. AkA Tommy Chong should be seen by all, who appreciate CHONG and what his "Cheech & Chong" legacy stand for, if you have not seen it, your missing out on another piece of there vintage collection. AkA Tommy Chong will go down in history as the voice of all stoner's, that say screw the politics this should be legal! God grows this stuff, the fact that medical patients who are dying find some relief, and can still be charged as a criminals is stupid. Tommy's character is the Hemp Messiah, Pope of Pot, he stands for an entire culture, Hollywood and all those exec's under-estimate his popularity, I remember when he was the biggest star on That 70's Show, and when they had to keep his lines short in front of the studio audience, to sustain the chanting Chong-Heads in the audience. Look Out World here comes not just a movie, but a movement.