The plot of Nice Dreams is delightfully simple. Cheech and Chong aren't just drifting around looking for a score this time; they are entrepreneurs. They have started a lucrative business selling marijuana out of an ice cream truck called "Happy Herb's Nice Dreams."
The brilliance of the setup is the disguise. Who is going to suspect the ice cream man? It allows for a series of great gags involving kids, cops, and unsuspecting customers. It also gives the film a bright, sunny aesthetic that separates it from the grimy, punk-rock vibe of Up in Smoke. This is Cheech & Chong living the good life—until, of course, everything goes wrong. Cheech And Chong Nice Dreams
One of the strongest aspects of Nice Dreams is the supporting cast. The antagonists here are "Sgt. Stedanko" (played by Stacy Keach, reprising his role from Up in Smoke) and his narcs. The plot of Nice Dreams is delightfully simple
Keach is fantastic as the increasingly frustrated cop who slowly turns into a lizard (yes, you read that right) after unknowingly ingesting their product. It’s a subplot that borders on body horror but is played for pure absurdity, culminating in one of the most memorable transformation scenes in 80s comedy. Who is going to suspect the ice cream man
But the movie is stolen by Timothy Leary, the real-life LSD guru and counterculture icon. Leary plays "Hamburger Dude," a wealthy, eccentric patient in a psychiatric hospital. His scenes with Cheech are a passing of the torch between generations of counter-culture figures, and his line delivery ("I think I have a contact high...") is legendary.
If you search for Cheech and Chong Nice Dreams reviews, you’ll find mixed ratings. Critics called it "sloppy." Fans call it "authentic." Here is why time has been kind to it: