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Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart have appeared on the big screen together before in ADVENTURELAND, and will soon be seen together again in Woody Allen’s upcoming film. Until then you’ll find them reunited in AMERICAN ULTRA, a “stoner comedy” that feels like a not so distant cousin to something like THE BOURNE IDENTITY. It ends up being a fun and engaging ride, though utterly forgettable… perhaps the perfect material for any potheads headed to the theater in hopes of finding something they can relate to.

Mike (Jesse Eisenberg) and his girlfriend Phoebe (Kristen Stewart) are a pot-smoking couple living in a small town and just existing without much purpose or direction. Mike works nights at a convenience store, and Phoebe spends her evenings behind the desk at a bail bonds office. They’ve tried to leave town several times, but never make it past the airport thanks to Mike having panic attacks. Unbeknownst to the aimless young man, he’s actually under observation by the CIA and is secretly a highly-trained agent capable of incredible abilities, but all of that is laying dormant thanks to agency brainwashing. When CIA Agent Victoria Lasseter (Connie Britton) learns from an inside anonymous source that the agent program Mike was a result of is about to be eliminated, she angrily confronts the man behind it, Adrian Yates (Topher Grace), an agent promoted in rank despite a lack of experience who is now slightly superior to her. Yates makes it clear he’s moving forward with his directives, so Victoria takes matters into her own hands and heads out secretly to find Mike and warn him. It becomes clear rather quickly that Mike is a little too far gone, perhaps as the result of a little too much weed, who knows. Yates finds out about Victoria’s actions, and send some assassins to take out Mike and her. Once Mike is attacked at the convenience store, his training kicks in just enough to survive, and he slowly but surely becomes aware that there’s a past that’s somehow been blocked out. Now, as more killers descend on the small town, Mike must hope his survival instincts are enough to save him and the woman he loves.

There’s some really funny moments in AMERICAN ULTRA, laugh out loud scenes that are complimented by unexpectedly intense action sequences. To say this film is like THE BOURNE IDENTITY with a pothead hero is a rather exact and accurate way to put it, but that’s about all it is. There’s nothing earth-shattering or terribly memorable about the production, it’s just a funny experience at the movies, and rather dispoable when it’s over. The screenplay by Max Landis (CHRONICLE) moves at a brisk pace and keeps things fun, even throwing in a twist or two to keep the audience engaged. Perhaps the biggest positive of the exercise is the natural chemistry between Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart, who are believable and feel sincere as a couple. Simple scenes like them laying in bed together and making pillow talk look and feel realistic, and there’s a charm in their union that drives the film along. Eisenberg also does an impressive job handling the fight scenes, delivering believable hits and death blows, even on the biggest and most forboding attackers. Topher Grace shows promise playing the cocky nemesis of the story, abusing his undeserved power, but he never seems to go to the full lengths necessary to become the perfect bad guy. Connie Britton fares a little better as the sympathetic agent trying to do the right thing, no matter what her job may dictate she’s supposed to do. There’s also a fun performance by Walton Goggins as a laughing hit man, who always seems to survive the battles he gets into, living to cackle another day. John Leguizamo is amusing as well, playing a questionable friend to Mike, and trying so hard to act like a gangland thug even when the situation doesn’t call for it.

Directed by Nima Nourizadeh (PROJECT X), the film has a polished look and moves at a brisk pace, never allowing the audience to get bored or terribly complacent, even if the end result doesn’t feel like anything special. This is the kind of movie action film lovers will enjoy, young folks looking for mindless humor will embrace, and perhaps even those who like spy stories will appreciate. It’s not a bad way to kill 95 minutes, though like your standard marijuana joint will likely be forgotten before you even leave the theater.

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