a/k/a Tommy Chong

A politically-conscious documentary that steps in to cover the months following world-famous doper Tommy Chong's arrest (for the illegal cross-state sale of glass pipes) but preceding 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.