Doobious Sources: A Fresh Take On The Stoner Film Genre

Doobious Sources film review

One of the amazing things about cannabis is that it’s so much more than just the weed. Sure, getting high is ultimately what it’s all about. But cannabis has grown into an entire subculture. A way of life. When you get high, you’re not just consuming cannabis. You’re joining the global cannabis community—and that’s a community with a culture all its own. One of the key pieces to this broader cannabis culture is a film. There’s a long tradition of stoner flicks, and they all in one way or another celebrate the joys of ganja and the lifestyle that goes along with it. That tradition is receiving a brand new addition this week, as director Clif Lord releases “Doobious Sources.” But this movie isn’t so much a story about weed. Instead, it’s a kind of rambling, improvisational view into the lives of two characters who are obsessed with getting high and filming everything they encounter. And the result is not only a hilarious movie. It’s also a refreshing new take on the entire stoner film genre.

A New Perspective

Doobious Sources

The basic premise of “Doobious Sources” is what makes it so funny and so witty. Yes, it’s about the hilarious lives of people who love getting stoned. But it presents all this in a smart and refreshing new way.

First off, this isn’t your standard narrative film. It’s not just telling a story. Instead, the movie presents itself as mainly the found footage of Reginald Block-Hunsleigh and Zorn Tappadapo.

The duo calls themselves the “Instant Karma Investigative News Service.” Reginald and Zorn see themselves as “the last of the lone rangers, the real hard news guys.” And their latest project is to film a “making of” movie that documents their attempts to find the hard-hitting news stories they’re always looking for.

And this is the real genius of the entire movie. Every scene is either one of the team’s actual news stories, or it’s the “footage” they’re filming for their “behind the scenes” documentary.

In the end, the behind the scenes stuff is what’s so brilliant. These are the scenes where we see the characters always getting high.

And eventually, the audience starts to learn that this movie isn’t just a story about weed. It’s what it would look like if a couple of stoners got their hands on cameras and then went crazy filming whatever they wanted to.

And in the case of these two characters, what they end up filming is a series of cannabis-fueled debacles. Whether it’s ordering a burger or trying to bust corrupt political dealings, these guys are always getting in over their heads. And the fact that they’re high the entire time makes every situation completely hilarious.

The Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Commentary

Doobious Sources

Lord has a real winner on his hands. He’s created a movie that does a number of things at the same time. It joins the tradition of stoner movies by celebrating cannabis culture.

But it goes even further. It also gives us an innovative spin on the entire genre of stoner films.

This movie does a great job of giving us characters and scenes that are lovable, funny, and memorable. And of course, everything in the movie is infused with robust marijuana humor.

But at the same time, it also does an excellent job of giving audiences something more to think about. Ultimately, it balances funny weed humor with sobering thoughts about the film itself.

There are several moments throughout the movie where Reginald and Zorn—in the very act of filming—start to question the implications of the film. They hint at questions about state and police film surveillance. And at one point, they wonder if the tables have been turned on them. Instead of documenting stories like they think they are, they suddenly feel like they’re the ones being watched, filmed, and analyzed.

Sure, these are the paranoid ramblings of a couple of friends stoned out of their minds. But they also have some relevance to today’s political and cultural landscape.

And striking that balance between hilarious stoner comedy and more thought-provoking commentary is exactly what this film gets right. Taking all this together, “Doobious Sources” represents a much-needed addition to the longstanding tradition of the stoner film genre.

You can download “Doobious Sources” on iTunes here. Or, if you happen to be in the LA area, you can check it out from January 20-26 at Arena Cinelounge. And finally, to celebrate the film’s release, check out this contest where you could win a free BloomBox home pot growing system.