Cheech & Chong’s Last Movie feels final. Their first movie was Up in Smoke in 1978.
Dave Bushell’s documentary dives deeply into the lives of Richard “Cheech” Marin and Thomas Kim Chong, the iconic comedy duo who met in Vancouver in 1969. Marin was evading the U.S. military draft and Chong was running a club. They eventually teamed up, with Marin playing the fast-talking funnyman to Chong’s laid-back stoner.
Bushnell frames the movie with a road trip. Now in their 70s (Marin, 78) and 80s (Chong, 86), they drive in the desert and reminisce. As they motor along, the longtime partners get testy with each other.
The director deftly cuts back and forth between the two mens' histories — Chong from Calgary, son of a Chinese father and Scottish mother, and Marin, a first-generation Mexican-American (a.k.a. Chicano) raised in East Los Angeles. Chong likes to say Marin was the first Mexican he ever met.
Being of Chinese descent, he felt the sting of racism as well growing up, and became friends with the few Black kids in school. Chong learned to play guitar and joined a band. This led to him meeting Motown singer Bobby Taylor and playing with his band, the Vancouvers. Chong co-wrote their one big hit, “Does Your Mama Know About Me?”
He married a Black woman, Maxine, who's mother to his daughters Rae Dawn and Precious. Between his married life and musical experiences, Chong picked up Black slang and mannerisms, which he incorporated into his act.
Meanwhile, Marin liked the peaceful life up in Canada away from the tumult of the anti-war movement back home. When Taylor went solo, Chong decided to focus on comedy instead of music, and started working with Marin.
"To director Dave Bushell’s credit, he lets Cheech & Chong go at it, like a hockey fight."
By then Chong was shacking up with future wife Shelby and Maxine moved to L.A. with the kids. Tommy, Shelby and Cheech followed.
Meeting Lou Adler was a big moment in their burgeoning career. He’d just had a huge hit with Carol King’s Tapestry on his Ode record label and was looking for new artists to sign. Now 91, Adler, who shows up for a cameo during the road trip, took a shot with Cheech & Chong.
The next few years saw them tour like rock stars, playing for audiences turned on by the pot humor that dominated their comedy albums, peaking with the famous Big Bambu record that came with a huge sheet of rolling paper.
Next for them was movies, and this is where the story gets dicey. While in the car they start to argue about Chong’s control of their six movies. Marin still resents how Chong became the boss, taking over directing responsibilities during Up in Smoke after having a falling out with Adler.
In Marin’s mind, Chong’s ego had runneth over. After the failure of Cheech & Chong’s The Corsican Brothers — their only non-pot movie (Marin pushed for that) — and the Marin-directed Get Out of My Room, they went their separate ways. Cheech made Born in East L.A. and then a series of non-stoner movies like Tin Cup. He also played a cop in Nash Bridges on TV, something Chong never lets him forget.
During their argument Chong makes the point that his loopy character is his brand and he refused to leave it behind the way Cheech did with his, even shaving his trademark mustache.
While Chong urges Marin to forget the negative stuff, he can’t. Marin’s totally exasperated with Chong.
To Bushell’s credit, he lets them go, like a hockey fight. It might all be an act for their Last Movie, but it works and makes for a compelling doc.
But Chong's paraphernalia arrest and jail time or why Cheech & Chong ultimately staged a reunion in 2003 are not discussed.
The trio attended the opening-night full-house screening at AMC Lincoln Square in New York. "Does everyone got their minds ready for the movie?" Chong asked. "You know what I mean."
Cheech added, "We hope you enjoy this movie. It took a long time to make. It goes everywhere you want to go. You find out everyhing about Cheech & Chong."
That's pretty true and there's even an uplifiing moment at the end.
MORE CHEECH & CHONG LINKS
