Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (Unrated Extended Edition) Reviews

• Harold and Kumar, the two smartest stoners in movie history

  
  By A2NJO6YE954DBH on 2005-01-10
  In the beginning there was "Up in Smoke" with Cheech and Chong. If that was not the original stoner comedy it is at least the most pertinent reference point for considering "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle," because as a society we have clearly moved from a stoner comedy in 1978 starring a Hispanic-American and an Asian-American to a stoner comedy in 2004 starring a pair of Asian-Americans. Not only that, but the two young Asian-Americans are a Korean-American and an Indian-American, and not the Chinese-Americans and Japanese-Americans that usually pop up in American movies (or the Chinese and Japanese that pop up in Chinese and Japanese movies, respectively).
  
  The ethnicity of the two main characters, Harold Lee (John Cho), an investment banker, and Kumar Patel (Kal Penn), who is avoiding going to medical school, matters because while these pair are stoners, they are the two smartest stoners in the history of American cinema. Yes, I know, the bar is set pretty low in the first place in that regard, but these guys are really smart. They are both college graduates, Harold has a real job in the real world involving making real money and Kumar has perfect MCAT scores, which explains why he can perform surgery is the situation requires it. Of course the first-time writing team of Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg are not Asian-American, so I cannot go so far as to argue there is a concerted political statement being made here, but in terms of playing with an ethnic stereotype this works pretty well. Besides, any excuse to make the lead characters in a movie like this something more than dope smoking idiots is always going to be a good thing.
  
  This film is in the great tradition of "Dude, Where's My Car?" and "The Lord of the Rings," which is to say that "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" is a quest film. The title characters are already high when a White Castle commercial comes on and suddenly the most important thing in the world is getting a bag of the mini-burgers to scarf down. However, this requires getting in a car and driving to the closest White Castle, which is not in the same town. In fact, exactly where the closest White Castle is becomes a major problem in the film, which makes sense because otherwise it ends up being about an hour shorter. In between getting into Harold's car and finding the Promised Land there are a gang of skateboarders, an entire department of racist cops, a tow truck driver with serious genetic problems, and, best of all, Neil Patrick Harris (Neil Patrick Harris).
  
  I can appreciate Harold and Kumar's situation in terms of trying to find a White Castle because I thought we had one in our town and we did, but it has since closed. So my plan to have the kids pick up White Castles to eat while watching the film, admittedly not the most original idea in the world for this one, was thwarted. But there was talk about driving 70 miles to where we know there is a White Castle and if it was not for the fact that the movie would have been over by the time whoever made the trip came back with cold burgers we might have considered it. So someone was sent out for tacos instead, which made no sense for watching a movie starring a pair of Asian-Americans, so we ate the tacos without watching the movie (No, when I watched the movie I did not eat Oriental food either, so the whole logic here fell apart completely).
  
  Director Danny Leiner did "Dude, Where's My Car?" and the parallels between the two become really obvious once Harold's car gets stolen by the actor who played Doogie Howswer (playing himself). But this movie really is twice as good. Is it because Leiner learned from his mistakes the first time around? Is it because writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg are twice as good as Philip Stark (who at least had the "Pink Eye" episode of "South Park" on his resume)? Is it because John Cho and Kal Penn are twice the actors Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott happen to be?
  
  Now, that last one I am pretty sure I can quantify, because Cho and Penn do a great job of keeping these characters real and quite different from what we usually find in such films, but I keep coming back to the ethnicity of the two stars, although the film does not go overboard on the Asian stereotypes (there is a scene where Harold has to deal with a group of other Korean-Americans that could be right out of "Gilmore Girls"). Would this film be as funny if the two leads were something other than Asian-American? It really matters that these two guys are smart and the film takes advantage of the stereotype that Asian-Americans are smart to make that point. Lots of stoners have been obsessed with the quest for weed and a bad case of the munchies, but Kumar is smarter than all of them put together, which makes his dream world involving a giant bag of pot that much funnier. Then there is Harold and his quest to at least speak to Maria (Paula Garces), the beautiful girl he keeps meeting in the elevator in his apartment building.
  
  The other way in which "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" goes against type in the stoner movie genre is that there is actually a sense of personal growth for the boys after their experience. In this case the film is much more reminiscent of "The Lord of the Rings" than "Dude, Where's My Car?" You do not expect stoners to grow up at the end of their quest (you expect them to spend all their reward money getting Van Halen to play at their birthday party), which just gets us back to the ethnicity of Harold and Kumar. It is rather difficult to walk that kind of a tightrope in a comedy (see "White Chicks"), but this film manages to do it. It will also absolutely cure you of ever wanting to sneak into the girl's bathroom in a college dorm.
  
  

• Did Doogie Howser just steal my f***ing car?

  
  By A1VCPMT1RRS7K0 on 2006-04-26
  We have all known that feeling: wanting a particular meal, unwilling to rest until we get it. Those of us who attended college will attest to the fact that after you smoke, a certain urge will soon overtake you. An urge to gorge yourself on some random food that may otherwise disgust you. Harold and Kumar are overtaken by this feeling and they are willing to do whatever it takes to get that food (in this case, White Castle) into their stomachs.
  
  During their quest, they encounter a host of hilarious characters. Their neighbors- Goldstein & Rosenberg, the Xtreme crew, Brad the business-suave hippie, the taco-sh** girls, Freakshow, the racist cop, Tarik the cellmate, Doogie Howser! Neil Patrick Harris makes one of the funniest cameo appearances I've ever seen. It will completely ruin any innocent memories you may have had about Doogie, the boy doctor.
  
  I thought this movie was hilarious... The story is almost arbitrary, as the characters are so funny, it wouldn't really matter what the point of the movie was. It's also cool that it all takes place along the New Jersey Turnpike, because I actually went to school along the same stretch of road. New Jersey residents will have an added appreciation for the adventure for that reason. But, whatever state you live in, you should be able to relate to aspects of both characters' personalities. Harold is responsible and "grown-up", while Kumar is a free spirit who doesn't seem to give a damn about anything. They make for a very funny pairing, even though we've all seen it before.
  
  There is a ton of great bonus material on this DVD edition. The extended/deleted scenes are awesome and the featurettes and interviews are also entertaining. It's worth checking it all out, most definitely.
  
  Highly recommended for those who enjoy ridiculous and filthy humor.
  
  

• upwardly mobile

  
  By A1C4PZDQ84I9MA on 2007-01-06
  
  I'm no longer in the target audience for this movie. I realize that. I checked out this DVD not as a lame attempt to convince myself that I'm still young and hip. I actually was interested because I heard it was the first American major motion picture to feature Asian characters as the leads but not stereotypically, not utilizing the Asian ethnicity as a comic device. Not as comically impish cartoon characters, not as martial artists or wise sages. Also, I really like White Castle burgers.
  
  I wasn't disappointed. The lead characters are two Asian American men who have reasonably well-developed, three-dimensional characters. That was refreshing. However, I wouldn't say this movie is free of stereotypes. The Asian women in this movie are definitely in the mold of the church-going, hard-working but ultra-dorky Asian. And, in fact, all the women in this movie are stereotypes of one sort or another. Come to think of it, even the Asian men in this movie, outside of the two leads, are stereotypes. I'm thinking of the budding entrepreneur asking Harold for a letter of recommendation, and also of Kumar's hard-working doctor father, forcing Kumar into a series of fixed medical school interviews. And the two Jewish stoners. And the white, racist skateboard punks. But, okay. Little steps.
  
  Some of the humor in this movie really worked for me, such as Harold and Kumar inexplicably happening upon a lion in New Jersey, and riding it to their next point of adventure. Some of the humor is vulgar, gross-out humor that didn't work for me. I'm not opposed to vulgarity and gross-out humor when it is in the service of good comedy ("Borat" being the most obvious recent example, or the "Blazing Saddles" campfire scene being a more classic example) but here it felt like it was in lieu of comedy. Cheap laughs. Again, though, it probably worked, in the theater, on the intended audience of inebriated adolescent boys.
  
  Not great but I'm glad I saw it. An overall thumbs up. I also appreciated some of touches on the DVD, such as the backdrop of Harold and Kumar sitting in the car during the main menu, which is not a still from the movie but a good twenty minutes of the two of them sitting there driving, occasionally asking each other what is taking the viewer so long to make a selection. Once you realize it's not on a short loop, you're obligated to sit and watch it and see how long it can go on.
  
  
  
  

• The whole is by far greater than the sum of its parts

  
  By A37PV5GMP2ILJC on 2005-03-06
  If you were to divide this movie into its various little bits, you probably wouldn't have enough material to evoke more than an occasional chuckle. It's jam-packed with your typical, average, everyday sight gags, a lá "Dude Where's My Car", "American Pie", "Porky's", "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure", "Wayne's World", "White Chicks" and their ilk.
  
  First and foremost, you need to swallow that the two main characters - as you may have guessed - Harold and Kumar, share an uncontrollable urge to get stoned at any opportunity, despite being otherwise extremely intelligent. Our intelligent idiots are "Odd Couple" roommates, one a clean freak, the other a slob (imagine that), who unwind from their daily activities with a toke smoke.
  
  Harold (John Cho) is an investment banker in a situation similar to "The Office", where his workmates take advantage of his quiet disposition to dump their work on him. Kumar (Kal Penn) is a genius with a natural talent for medicine, who has no intention of going to Med School.
  
  A beautifully timed television advertisement has them craving White Castle hamburgers in a major way, and the rest of the movie involves the longest burger quest in history, along the same lines as the car search in that other movie with Ashton (Demi's angel) Kutcher. One dizzying disaster after another unfolds, involving drugs, hooters, bathroom humor, racial situations, car chases, not-too-bright police officers, gay insinuations, Asian gags (you think?), and even a large feline.
  
  Having said all that, the whole package is a totally (surprisingly) enjoyable movie - if you're into that sort of stuff - but fans of serious drama or period pieces should be warned to connect their funny bones before connecting their DVD players.
  
  With all the well-used gags and tired subject matter, this movie is not supposed to be as much fun as it is. I don't know how it works, but it does.
  
  Looking forward to the other two - "Dude, Where's my White Chick?" and "Harold & Kumar's Excellent Adventure" - (Titles completely fabricated, but extremely possible)
  
  Amanda Richards, March 6, 2005
  
  
  

• DUDE, WHERE'S MY POT?

  
  By A1L8HRCM60W0W7 on 2004-09-04
  The director of "Dude, where's my car" doesn't seem to have grown up. Good for us! His latest offering once again plops smack in the middle of youthful roadtrip comedies, never taking itself too seriously. No reason then for us to.
  
  Its meagre ambitions are limited to a couple of boys' misadventures, as funny as anything playing out these days, which predictably give way to toilet dalliances and other cheap shots that expose the director's craven desire to 'be cool' with the ear-pierced skateboarding crowd.
  
  Such ambitions are of course met without much fuss, and despite its scattershot social barbs, the film sports a loose goofball charm that certainly makes it a worthy popcorn getaway.
  
  
• Check it out, it looks like a bonsai tree
  By A2PN7Z2VTHICL8 on 2005-06-15
  Warning! If you are not a fan of drug humor, toilet humor, or frat humor, you will hate this movie. Along the lines of 'Dude, Where's My Car', this little sleeper comedy had me laughing so hard I almost split.
  
  Harold and Kumar are roommates. After toking up, they decide they want the perfect food and head out to go to White Castle burgers. (Anybody besides me remember White Castle? Nastiest burgers in the world!) Harold has work to do, having a project dumped on him at quitting time by a co-worker. Kumar, after making a mess of one interview for med school, has another interview set up by his father for 10AM the following morning. But nothing will stop these two from reaching the perfect food.
  
  Their night turns into one mishap after another, tollbooths, cheetahs, a gang of 'Extreme' skateboarders, a crazy Burger Shack employee, a racist cop, a jail breakout, a Princeton party, two pretty girls with bad bathroom habits, Doogie Houser MD (Neil Patrick Harris), and a crazy, boil-infested tow truck driver named Freakshow.
  
  John Cho as Harold and Kal Penn as Kumar both display an amazing talent with their characters, even if this movie will never be up for an Academy Award, and my hat goes off to Neil Patrick Harris for his ability to make fun of himself and have some fun while doing it. Special mention, though, must be given to Christopher Meloni who plays Freakshow. ("Who wants the first reach around?") Meloni proves that no matter how disgusting the character, its important to play it well, and he does so with humor and revolting finesse.
  
  Don't miss out on the fantasy scenes either, Kumar's involving falling in love with, and marrying, a bag of weed, and Harold's involving a Chow Yun-Fat/Zorro type encounter with Maria, the girl of his dreams.
  
  'Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle' is a silly and pointless comedy with no value whatsoever except to entertain you and make you laugh, and that it will. While off color, the humor is still sharp, and the pace is just right to keep your stomach hurting all the way through the movie. I recommend that you pick up the Unrated Extended Edition, or you will miss out on a lot of the better scenes. Definitely a 'Purchase'. Enjoy!
  
  
  
• Surprising
  By A2X61KKXXR6WNP on 2005-11-06
  Boy, does this movie look stupid. And, boy, is this movie funny. I'm just shocked. Doogie Howser, stoner munchies, bumbling cops like we haven't seen since the Dukes of Hazzard. It all sounds juvenile, sophomoric, and dumb. But somehow it works, and it is one of the funniest movies I've seen in a very long time. How they managed to pull this off I may never be able to figure out, but I have to recommend this one. Maybe it is because the characters are so earnest, kind, and real. Or maybe it is because the situations, while over the top, have beginnings and directions that feel like they could happen, unlike the traditional "I'll just do this series of contrived, stupid things so that a funny situation will happen."
  
  Like good science fiction, this one is rare in a sea of bad movies. Nice to see.
  
  
• In Search Of The Perfect Burger
  By A141HP4LYPWMSR on 2006-04-26
  'Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle' will be enjoyed by anyone who's ever been hit by that late night muchie urge while still in the post-party afterglow. Yea, you know exactly what I mean, when you simply have to satisfy the desire for that 'special' fast food item on your mind. There's only one thing you can do, ROAD TRIP!!
  
  Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) are feeling the need for their favorite White Castle hamburgers and the only 24 hour location is miles away across town. This film chronicles the madcap happenings while on their incredible journey to satisfy their gastronomic appetite. The scenes with Neil Patrick Harris as Stoner Neil Patrick Harris are a scream!
  
  Sometimes Hilarious, Sometimes Silly, Overall Satisfying.
  
  
• 'Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle' (New Line) Running time: 88 minutes
  By A2WQY1B8ZS7QRZ on 2006-07-07
  A decent stoner movie.Starts out when two homies are determined to find the nearest White Castle.Several humorous moments through out the movie.My two favorites are when the two college hotties that Harold and Kumar WERE supposed to show up in their room later to blow some weed,but the two ladies wind up in the rest room stalls playing a game they came up with,'You Sank My Battle Sh**' plus the scene when our two troubadours come across a backwoods redneck psycho(that would actually be a step up)who could easily pass for Freddy Krueger's mutated half-brother offer to repair their car.If you don't own this flick on DVD,you should at least rent it.A should-see.
  
  
• *1/2 Stars-A Good Idea Spoiled By Stupid People.......
  By A2Z0A3DOG0EVTY on 2004-07-24
  
  I remember it quite well. I was in Los Angeles taking some film classes and interning. It was a great experience filled with a lot of awesome adventures. But with all the fun I was having I still longed for home.
  
  See I hail from the Garden State. Lived there all my life, and if there's one delicacy that cannot be found anywhere else, It's the WHITE CASTLE HAMBURGER. I salivate just thinking about it.
  
  And there I was in the Hollywood Hills craving one. I went down to the little store that was in my Apartment complex and there they were Frozen White Castle's just waiting to be devoured. I greedily bought a box and was in Heaven for a small moment as I savored them.
  
  Cut to the present. A weird promotional pack shows up on my desk at work. It's for a movie called HAROLD AND KUMAR GO TO WHITE CASTLE. It also featured a map of their intrepid Journey from New Brunswick, NJ to Cherry Hill, NJ to get the sweet nectar that is a WHITE CASTLE hamburger. I was intrigued. Here was the kind of movie that, if done well, could keep me happy for weeks and craving those awesome burgers.
  
  HAROLD AND KUMAR GO TO WHITE CASTLE star Kal Penn (Van Wilder) and John Cho (American Wedding) as two stoner's with the munchies. It just so happens that a White Castle commercial is on TV, so they decide to go. Little do they know that they're about to go on the Road Trip of a life time.
  
  Man am I mad. This is a great premise for a movie. Unlike some, I always liked the road movie, because I like the weird characters the characters met. I also like when basic concepts are blown completely out of proportion. Plus it's set in Jersey, that's always a good thing. HAROLD AND KUMAR tries to give you weird and wacky characters, and it tries to make a small concept into a high concept and fails in the attempt.
  
  Come on people, New Jersey is one of the Strangest states in the Union. Don't believe me, check out WEIRDNJ.COM. A magazine the chronicles the states local legends and wild characters. The state is a character in and of itself. Between the Jersey Devil, The Klan and Satanists in the woods, the best they could come up with was Jamie Kennedy peeing in a bush? or Doogie Howser stealing a car? Every joke felt like a cop out, there is nothing of value in this truly stupid film except for Christopher Meloni's Freakshow. Now he was funny.
  
  (As a side note, there is no such thing as SELF-SERVE GAS in NJ. So to put a sign up at a gas station that says Self Serve in this movie is just stupid.)
  
  Director Danny Leiner hasn't learned the lessons of DUDE, WHERE'S MY CAR? The same regurgitated joke over and over does not a funny movie make and just because your movie is successful doesn't mean its good. HAROLD AND KUMAR, like DUDE is full of potentially funny stuff, and yet plays better on paper than on the screen.
  
  For instance I think it's funny to read in a screenplay "and Doogie Howser steals a car". But to watch it on the screen, you say so what? There is potential comedy there but no payoff. I'll bet they had a lot of fun making this movie, but probably gasped when they saw the final product.
  
  Of course I didn't walk into this movie thinking that it was the second coming of CITIZEN KANE. But I walked in hoping to laugh A LOT and I didn't. You can make a stupid, vapid, piece of camp (or crap), but if it's not funny, it's not worth the time or effort. Danny Leiner you wasted my time, you wasted the studio's money, and you should be horrified by your crappy movie.
  
  HAROLD AND KUMAR is like the feeling you get after you've finished a couple dozen WHITE CASTLE'S, your stomach aches and you say to yourself "man I shouldn't have done that". You then spend the rest of the afternoon on the toilet. Do me favor go to the restaurant enjoy the burgers and skip the movie. You'll be happy you did.
  
  *1/2 (out of 5)
  
  
  
• They look like lame versions of us!
  By A283NP8NG7X11F on 2005-03-06
  This one was really surprising. What I expected to be the usual stoner comedy turned out to be the best comedy I've seen since Shaun of the Dead. Let's get something straight right here- these are not your typical stoners. Harold and Kumar are both smart, don't make stupid decisions, and know what they want. What's better, they're like people you know in real life. I liked these characters. Which is more than I can say for 2/3 of the stoners we get in movies these days. Harold is an uptight guy, similar to Tony Randall from The Odd Couple, while Kumar is the kinda guy that goes to parties and gets Harold into more trouble than he'd get into on his own. The movie itself is also hilarious, and right off the bat, I was laughing along with everything. And not once was I offended at the humor, which some people out there have been. Even better, the disc is loaded with special features worth your money.
  
  The movie starts out with two corporate white guys pushing their work on Harold, a Korean worker in the office. He's about to go home to kick back with Kumar, when his superiors give him tons of work due the next day because "those Asians love crunching numbers". Kumar on the other hand, is purposely blowing an interview with the Dean of a university where his dad wants him to go to school in order to become a doctor just like him and his brother. Kumar takes a phone call from Harold in the middle of the interview, going on about how he's not doing anything important, and mentions how fried they're going to get that night. Needless to say, he doesn't stand a chance of getting into this school. But he leaves with a great line I'm probably not going to get away with putting in here. Harold comes home to find Kumar cleaning up certain hairs with the same scissors he uses on his nose. After that, the two sit back, get wasted, and get the urge for White Castler burgers. So, they head off to find the resturant, and get in tons of out of whack adventures along the way. Taking on XTREME neighbors straight out of a Mountain Dew ad that make fun of them every time they walk by, get stuck in the bathroom with two attractive girls who have a big problem doing their business, watch lame versions of themselves get mugged mercilessly after taking a wrong turn, Harold gets attacked by a (sweet) raccoon, and they get directions from a Jesus loving freak who's so horrid looking that he could even scare off Joan Rivers. And this is all just in the first half hour. The movie's full of unexpected turns, and I loved it. While the only predictable thing is the ending (afterall, what's the title of the movie?), there's something for everyone to like here. Heck, there's even a little romantic bit with Harold and Maria, a neighbor he has a crush on, but just can't get the nerve to talk to her. Get this- his fantasy is to go back to his place and eat ice cream with her. That's all.
  
  The main problem that some people have with the movie is the portrayal of Americans. Almost all of the ones in the movie are the bad guys. From the XTREME crew, to the police, to Harold's superiors, there's not a single one that comes accross as good. But really, when was the last time any of us saw a good non-stereotypical Asian or Indian character in a movie? Certainly not the Donger from Sixteen Candles, and sure as heck not the ice cream guy from Bubble Boy (though that movie and all the characters in it ruled). These aren't your stereotypical guys. No accents or anything at all. And I'm proud that they released the movie keeping Kumar's name in there. A joke in the comentary was that they didn't change the title to something like Adam and Jason Go To McDonald's. But if there's any problem I had with the movie, it's that a few scenes don't really work. The ones I'm talking about involve CG. It's obviously fake, but not too fake. I mean, having two full grown guys riding a cheetah? C'mon.
  
  For a movie with a small budget, the film and audio quality are great. There's some grain here and there in night scenes, but it's not going to get in the way of enjoying the movie. And the audio was never too quiet in any area. For once, I didn't have to turn on the captions during a scene, thinking I missed what someone said.
  
  Hoo boy, the special features...there's a ton to go through here. You get THREE commentary tracks. The first with John Cho, Kal Penn and the director. They joke around a bit and give some bits of info that we might not notice at first, but it's not exactly a helpful one. The guys are great and all, but it would've been much better without the director. He doesn't really talk about anything we don't know already. He does mention that Harold and Kumar's friends could've had their own movie, which actually does make sense. Everytime we see them, they're in the middle of something zany. The next commentary is with the writers, and is a little bit better than the previous one. The two joke around just as much, and talk a lot about how the movie was developed story-wise. Like who the main guy was they based Harold around and such. 'worth a listen to if you're an up and coming writer or something. Finally, there's a track by XTREME Danny Bochart. It's sort of in character, and actually funny to listen to. The guy just plain never shuts up. I swear, he doesn't take a breath. He goes on about casting, how Harold and Kumar are "a little off" and how hot some of the girls in the movie are. Next up are deleted/alternate scenes, all of which are pretty good. The alternate ending would've worked just as good as the one they used, and there's some good bits of Freakshow. There's even a blooper reel at the end which is mostly from Kumar's dream that weren't used. Where else would you get to see Ali G smack a rabi with a giant sausage? There's also a segment that shows how they animated Harold's dream. It's not like we couldn't figure out some parts of it, but it's cool to see how they animated the bullet effect, which was almost imposible to do with the way it fires off. Bobby Lee also interviews Johnny and Kal while driving around. They talk about things already mentioned in the commentary, but kid around about the movie and ones they've done before. We also get a music video which is...odd to say the least, interviews with the main stars, trailers, and a DVD-ROM game for PC users. But you know what the coolest special feature is? The menus. Harold and Kumar are driving along, and the options are down on the dashboard. They talk about how cool it is that you bought the disc and some other things. After about a minute, time elapses, and they start to freak out that you haven't selected an option yet. This plays for about 5 minutes before it starts looping. Trust me, right when you pop in the disc, just sit there and watch this. It helped me like the characters even more.
  
  Yeah, it's definately worth it to purchase this movie. It's one of few that I can watch on a regular basis and still laugh at. Watching the lame versions of Harold and Kumar never gets old. It just happens so casually, I almost fell out of my chair laughing for once. And you'll never look at Doogie Howser the same way again. I look forward to the next two sequels with Harold and Kumar. Yes, that's right, they've signed on for two more movies. And you know what? I just might go and see them in theaters if they're half as good as this one was.
  
  
• Harold and Kumar Rule
  By A37YWFETJOYVNN on 2005-03-17
  I just got through watching this movie and I have to say that "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" is one of the greatest films ever made. You read that right. There have been other reviews on this site comparing "Harold and Kumar" to Cheech and Chong films, "American Pie", etc. All those people miss the point. Yes, this movie is about young people and, yes, this movie is about stoners, but, strictly speaking, those things are incidental. "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" is a classic and this movie is a classic because this movie "gets it"; it "gets it" like no other movie in the history of filmdom has ever gotten it. From the moment these two brilliant potheads see an advertisment on TV for White Castle they are on a quest, a quest for burgers. They go through a series of escapades involving racist cops, stolen marijuana, jailbreaks, junkyard freaks, Doogie Howser stealing Harold's car and so on and so on, each episode more insane than the last and everything screamingly funny. And through it all they persevere because they're on a quest. You see, "Harold and Kumar" is unique in the history of film because it understands that the point of cruising ... is cruising itself!!!! In what other country in the world can you hop onto an Interstate and then, 45 minutes later, you can buy these cheap little burgers with the little onions on them, 6 for $2.99 plus fries and a soda? Only in America!!! That's what the American Dream is all about: White Castle Burgers!!!! The point of the journey ... is the journey itself. There is so much sage wisdom in this movie: that "the universe has a tendency to balance itself out" (not unlike the Hindu principle of Karmic realignment?), that what a man wants is that feeling of satisfaction when he gets what he most desires (said by Harold while observing their two Jewish friends fulfilling their own quest at Hot Dog Heaven) or Kumar's observation that their parents came to this country because they were poor and oppressed ... and hungry. I'm not Asian, and I couldn't care less if Harold is Korean and Kumar is Indian; personally, I found Harold and Kumar to be two of the most quintessentially American characters I've ever encountered in a movie. And that's the genius of this film: this movie realizes that being an American isn't about race or ethnicity: being an American is a state of mind. I truly believe "Harold an Kumar Go to White Castle" will go down as one of the classics of cinema. And, no, I was not stoned when I wrote this.
  
  
• Sketch Comedy Quest
  By A139ZF7CJVVTJU on 2007-01-27
  It's been a long time since I've frequented a White Castle, but from what I remember, the food there is okay. It's not great (nobody there is claiming to be a gourmet chef), but it gets the job done.
  
  "Harold & Kumar" works in a similar fashion. Another stoner-buddy comedy (owing as much to Cheech and Chong as it does to Chapelle's "Half-Baked"), this movie takes the road-trip/quest concept (which, as the title suggests, is essentially just one huge plug for the fast food chain) and uses it as an excuse to string together a series of sketches on weed, women, and ... racism?
  
  The movie is chock full of stereotypes, but don't worry; they're so self-aware that they do everything but wink at the audience. From the hyper-religious freak (who happens to have a smokin' hot wife) to the rude and crude eXtreme sports dudes (one of them is actually called "Extreme Sports Punk #1"), we are given something cliched, and then it is spun on its head (the boil-covered religious man turns out to be big on group sex; the eXtreme sports dudes ... well ... they have interesting taste in music). If there's one thing about "Harold and Kumar" that works, it is its happy subversiveness.
  
  But is it funny?
  
  That's hard to gauge sometimes, especially when you're talking about a movie that relies so heavily on boob shots. Harold and Kumar, in addition to being hungry for bite-sized, steam-cooked burgers, are also always up for a toke (in fact, their Castle quest is inspired by the munchies), but these guys don't ever really seem all that high (a state of mind which would give more credibility to this weed-obsessed movie). Instead, they're actually pretty smart and clear-headed. On the other hand, the rest of the film is SO cartoonish and weird (vengeful cops, placaple cheetahs, college chicks who play grotesque toilet games) that the gags only work about as much as a typical Bugs Bunny joke, [...]. Granted, Bugs is pretty funny, but only when he's not trying to make a point.
  
  In the same way, this movie is spot-on when, like Bugs, it goes for the wistfully irreverent (e.g. Anthony Anderson's wistful and blustering Burger Shack employee), the playfully vindictive (e.g. Neil Patrick Harris as himself-on-E), or the just plain absurd (e.g. Jamie Kennedy's hilarious cameo as a creepy guy in the woods). It's all well and good that the movie wants to make a point (or two), but instead of going for the hazy epiphany (like stoners are wont to do), this flick should've just stuck with the giggles and the bloodshot eyes.
  
  This DVD comes with a plethora of special features. Highlights include the deleted scenes (some of which aren't bad at all), and the outtakes (which are good as well, but a little short).
  
  
• Harold and Kumar, would you like fries with that?
  By A1W6FFD9OYH5RZ on 2004-08-02
  "Starring that Asian guy from American Pie, that Indian guy from Van Wilder, fromt the director of Dude Where's My Car"
  
  Seriously, while watching the trailer for Harold and Kumar go to White Castle, that is exactly what the audience is saying. Who knew they would actually mention it themselves. That alone was funny enough to make me want to see the film.
  
  Of course, many people are going to say this film goes in to the category with all the other "stoner" films. Yes, these two do like to get high, in fact, Kumar (Kal Penn) loves it. The film starts out with an introduction to who Kumar and Harold (Jon Cho) are. After getting high on some marijuana, they see an advertisement for White Castle on the television. Thus, their quest begins for the Holy Grail of mini burgers, the White Castle slider.
  
  On their way, they meet some interesting people. First, they stop at a burger place where a White Castle used to be. Anthony Anderson makes a small cameo, but a very funny one at that. He tells the boys nothing should stop them from getting some sliders.
  
  Next, they stop at Princeton to pick up some more marijuana, and they fail after a slight bathroom mishap. From there, they drive down the road so that Harold can be attacked by a raccoon. This raccoon looks similar to the gopher in Caddyshack, although not hardly anywhere near the same significance, but it is a funny moment none the less.
  
  They later have a car wreck and end up at a little garage in the middle of nowhere. This is owned by a guy nicknamed Freakshow. Here, they have their chance to score with his wife, but they become startled to know that he wants to join in with them.
  
  From here, they meet up with Doogie Howser himself, Neil Patrick Harris. Harris provides laughs just by being himself. He is a horny actor that says they can all get girls because the Doogie Howser line works everytime. Harris befriends the two, and they share some funny moments together.
  
  Throughout the movie, Harold and Kumar are somehow being chased by cops. At one point, Harold actually gets put in jail for a reason that all started with jay walking. The scene in the jail gives Harold an epiphany. He, now, knows that sometimes you have to roll with the punches and go for it every once in a while.
  
  Do they make it to White Castle? See the film and see. This film is very funny. It may not be American Pie, but it is way better than Van Wilder and Dude Where's My Car. The film is full of funny moments. There are other cameos that include Jamie Kennedy, Ryan Reynolds, and a cheetah. The film is about the two main stars though. It is full of laughs and explores the meaning of friendship and other stuff. The trailer doesn't use the actors' real names. After this movie, will people know who they are? Eh, does it really matter?
  
  
• Nothing is as it should be, but everything is as it is.
  By A3LUNKMEP23O74 on 2004-08-09
  It seems like a lot of people are saying this is a comedy about nothing, or that it's just a road movie. It's more than that: It's a really good road movie, it's very funny, and it adds to a tradition that includes both Huckleberry Finn and The Heart of Darkness. It's stinging social commentary.
  
  Harold and Kumar are both upwardly mobile second-generation Americans of immigrant parents. They're fighting against type in a world of stereotypes--Harold struggles not to be the number-loving, quiet asian and Kumar avoids the med-school path of his father and older brother. And yet, that's where they find they have placed themselves. Harold is an investment banker and Kumar is a skilled doctor despite his reluctance to go to medical school. They spend their free time getting high and laughing at antidrug commercials. On weekends they allow themselves to rebel comfortably, but it's clear they are dependent upon the rewards of following society's script--they share a nice apartment, they have other good friends (stereotypes, all), a love interest of color, and they travel in a new car toward their ultimate goal of eating several tiny hamburgers.
  
  But when they leave the safety of their multicultural civic center and venture into the hinterlands of the American countryside, they fully begin their odyssey through the strata of the American class pyramid. Above them are the wealthy gatekeepers, like Harold's bullying preppy co-workers and Kumar's med school admissions dean. Below them are the embittered whites who feel like they are losing opportunities one after another, and further below are the imigrants and blacks who must suffer daily at the hands of this anger.
  
  The comedy comes from the clashing of stereotypes, in how they are all simultaneously true and false. The "extreme" mountain dew guys who are sold as he-men with surplus bravado are outed here as being also nihilistic zombie bullies. NPH turns out to be a self-absorbed, self-destructive star on his way to supernova. The horribly disfigured rural white "Freakshow" turns out not to be a psychotic sex killer but rather just a garden-variety pervert (and their modern take on the old traveling salesman joke pushes against the heartland's rep as the home of family values). The one-note cops, however, only get to sell the white anger.
  
  What's most interesting about the movie is how H&K react to the plight of blacks and immigrants. They recognize their lower-class dopplegangers walking together down a dark sidewalk and watch passively as those stand-ins get jumped and beaten to a pulp. The scene is played for a laugh (and laughing is appropriate in a comedy), but it's also the first defining moment in their journey. Do they call the police? An ambulance? Stop the car and help the poor guys? No. They drive on.
  
  There are plenty of run-ins. They're witness to the extreme dudes ruining the immigrant's store, and they're powerless to stop it. They're not from here, you see, they're just stopping for gas, they can't get involved, they can't help. Sorry. They can't upset the order that rewards them so well. Likewise, the extreme dudes let them pass because hurting them would in and of itself upset that same order and rouse Johnny Law. The immigrant owner pleads to Harold and Kumar with his eyes, but it's as if the extreme leader tells them straight on: Look, you're powerless to stop this and so am I. Basically, "Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown" or if you'd rather, it's the Matrix.
  
  When Harold gets to jail, we meet a black buddah who has come to enlightenment as much through book-learning as from night-stick blows. Incredibly, he tells them they can't change the world and that they should essentially turn the other cheek. And when the prisoner is again abused in their presence, they gladly accept the advice of another black prisoner. "If I were you," he tells them, "I would get the hell out of here." He might as well have said, "If I were of your class, I would get the hell out of here."
  
  And they do. They realize, and become grateful for, their status in society, they 'live and let live', and they trust that their universe--the deus ex machina of this story--will resolve things comically before the credits. By supporting the system, they are amply rewarded.
  
  Near the climax, Kumar delivers a patriotic speech that salutes America not as the land of opportunity, but of consumer choice--the last tangible measure of our collective freedom (much as a 'social safety net' and 'access to health care' used to be). The boys make it to White Castle, and there they gorge themselves in a commercial ritual of assimilation. In an absurd gesture of quantity over quality, manufacturing over cooking, flavor over nutrition, and form over function, they each eat dozens of tiny hamburger "sliders" as they slide further into the melting pot.
  
  It's hard to divine a moral to this story beyond, "Nothing is as it should be, but everything is as it is." I can believe that Hollywood would create and disseminate that message, but this movie was conspicuously too smart and too countercultural to deliver that GOP payload. I've been thinking about it for days and I just can't figure it out.
  
  
• Drugs, Doogie, and Dumb Cop Jokes
  By A139ZF7CJVVTJU on 2007-01-27
  It's been a long time since I've frequented a White Castle, but from what I remember, the food there is okay. It's not great (nobody there is claiming to be a gourmet chef), but it gets the job done.
  
  "Harold & Kumar" works in a similar fashion. Another stoner-buddy comedy (owing as much to Cheech and Chong as it does to Chapelle's "Half-Baked"), this movie takes the road-trip/quest concept (which, as the title suggests, is essentially just one huge plug for the fast food chain) and uses it as an excuse to string together a series of sketches on weed, women, and ... racism?
  
  The movie is chock full of stereotypes, but don't worry; they're so self-aware that they do everything but wink at the audience. From the hyper-religious freak (who happens to have a smokin' hot wife) to the rude and crude eXtreme sports dudes (one of them is actually called "Extreme Sports Punk #1"), we are given something cliched, and then it is spun on its head (the boil-covered religious man turns out to be big on group sex; the eXtreme sports dudes ... well ... they have interesting taste in music). If there's one thing about "Harold and Kumar" that works, it is its happy subversiveness.
  
  But is it funny?
  
  That's hard to gauge sometimes, especially when you're talking about a movie that relies so heavily on boob shots. Harold and Kumar, in addition to being hungry for bite-sized, steam-cooked burgers, are also always up for a toke (in fact, their Castle quest is inspired by the munchies), but these guys don't ever really seem all that high (a state of mind which would give more credibility to this weed-obsessed movie). Instead, they're actually pretty smart and clear-headed. On the other hand, the rest of the film is SO cartoonish and weird (vengeful cops, placaple cheetahs, college chicks who play grotesque toilet games) that the gags only work about as much as a typical Bugs Bunny joke, if Bugs had a joint in his mouth instead of a carrot. Granted, Bugs is pretty funny, but only when he's not trying to make a point.
  
  In the same way, this movie is spot-on when, like Bugs, it goes for the wistfully irreverent (e.g. Anthony Anderson's wistful and blustering Burger Shack employee), the playfully vindictive (e.g. Neil Patrick Harris as himself-on-E), or the just plain absurd (e.g. Jamie Kennedy's hilarious cameo as a creepy guy in the woods). It's all well and good that the movie wants to make a point (or two), but instead of going for the hazy epiphany (like stoners are wont to do), this flick should've just stuck with the giggles and the bloodshot eyes.
  
  This DVD comes with a plethora of special features. Highlights include the deleted scenes (some of which aren't bad at all), and the outtakes (which are good as well, but a little short).
  
  
• I have never identified so much with a movie character
  By A38TC59GM2WW1X on 2004-08-01
  First of all, "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle" is absolutely hysterical. The plot is delightfully absurd, and none of it makes any sense. But that's not why you went to see the movie, was it? Yes, some fo the jokes are a bit crude for my tastes, but there are some truly innovative weed-related jokes in the movie that I won't spoil for you guys.
  
  However, to me this movie was oh-so much more than just a slapstick comedy. I felt it handled with not a little genius the cultural-identity crisis of the American-born-Asian. This movie is a dream come true for the nerdy non-FOB Asian who feels equally ill at ease with either caucasian snowboarders or a kim-chi eating new immigrants. John Cho is our advocate and our voice; finally Asian males have someone to identify with and look up to in Hollywood.
  
  The utter dispair that Harold (Cho) exhibited towards his romantic future "I'm going to end up with Cindy Kim anyway, it doesn't matter what I think" was something that hit the hammer on the nail for me. Harold's complete pathological fear that leads him to avoid talking to his real dream girl (the sexy Hispanic girl Maria) was also hilarious yet poignantly familiar. Harold is a true classic underdog anti-hero, probably more so than the equally loveable Kumar. Kumar also plays with some hilarious Indian stereotypes, such as his doctor father who is forcing him to go to medical school, something I can completely relate to (as I am also gently herded into medical school by the loving prodding of my parents). The movie also breaks up other frat-party movie stereotypes. In one particular scene where a bunch of punk troublemakers taunt Harold and Kumar, normally that's where you would expect the formerly meek protagonist to just be fed up and fight the head bully, somehow miraculously winning. Well, that's not the Asian way! Our protagonists do something less cliched but equally satisfying.
  
  In the end, all's well ends well; our heroes win and eat their delicious White Castle burgers, the bad guys get what's coming to them, and my man Harold gets the girl (Bravo for finally allowing an Asian guy to get with a non-Asian girl). But you all knew that before you walked into the theatre. It's what happens in between that's hilarious to watch.
  
  
• Silly but Fun
  By A1EMDSTJDUE6B0 on 2005-02-18
  I generally find this genre ridiculous, but this film is kinda silly but fun. It is creative than most and is refreshingly frank and openly honest about many things. It is like finally finding a good friend that you can trust. Good acting and not overboard in any area. Just cool.
  
  
• Fast food. High times.
  By APCHVFMSQZVY4 on 2005-05-17
  Harold and Kumar was directed by the same guy that did (dude where's my car?) but unlike that film it doesn't suck and I was surprised when I found it to be rather hilarious. First of all the film should not be taken seriously as some of the scenes are quite dumb but in a good way. Harold and Kumar decide to take a road trip after they have smoked some weed because they are craving for some food, they decide to go to White Castle which is a fast food restraunt but unfortunatley the nearest one is closed so they try to find one that is open late at night, while on there trip they come across some weird and hilarious situations like Doogie Howser stealing Harold's car so he can pick up some chicks and Kumar dreaming that he is marrying a giant bag of weed. I have to give credit to the writters of this film for casting John Cho and Kal Pen two asians in the lead part which made it a lot better and they were making fun of the asian stereotype, some of the humour was quite smart as some reviewers have said and some of it was crude like the scene where two college girls decide to play battlesh** when Harold and Kumar decide to hide in the bathroom which I have to admit was a laugh out loud moment. Overall I think it was a highly entertaing film and I suggest that you watch this if your looking for a great laugh.
  
  
• Surprise!
  By A2LZKALNA3YZD7 on 2005-11-28
  I bought this on a whim expecting it to be incredibly stupid. (It was at Wal-Mart and the price was right). I was shocked - I ACTUALLY LIKED IT. I thought it was hilarious and I've already watched it several more times. So stay open-minded and don't judge a movie by its title; you never know what you might be missing.
  (And if you're a girl, just ignore people who say this is a "guy movie" and girls won't like it. Personally, I like to descide what movies I like for myself - with out critics and republicans telling me what I should think.)
  
  
• A good laugh
  By A2NUHWMHA9XNKV on 2006-06-11
  This movie really made me want to eat white castle. It was very funny and you need to see it. The acting wasnt that good but hey it made it even funnier. Great movie along w/ some good corcky laugh....
  
  
• Fast Food. High Times.
  By A1040O9Y4YH2JM on 2004-08-05
  Every once in awhile, a person becomes witness to a movie with no real point, but rather is driven by its dialogue and the characters within the film. A vast number of these movies fall into the comedy genre, because if a movie is funny, it doesn't require a powerful plot, but it anchors on the humor it expresses. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle is one of these movies. And, I believe it to be a success at what it attempts. Like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Dazed and Confused, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, this movie will become a modern stoner classic, but I feel it can be enjoyed by a vast number of viewers; this movie was downright funny.
  
  Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle is the hilarious tale about the two title characters Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn). In fact, the entire movie's plot is in the title. These two stoners get the munchies one night, and while debating what to eat, see a television commercial for the one place that seems to hit the spot and satisfy all of their cravings and desires: White Castle. After this, the film is nothing but our hilarious heroes coming across a wild amount of mishaps and numerous funny situations. The film even has a hilarious cameo by Neil Patrick Harris, whom many of us know as Doogie Houser M.D., playing himself all messed up on ecstasy. This movie is a d**n good time.
  
  At first, I was very skeptical about this movie. I mean, it looked funny, but I still wasn't sure. I kind of got the same vibe for this as I did for Dude, Where's My Car?, and that turned out awful. It is strange too, because this movie happened to be directed by the same guy as Dude, Where's My Car?: Danny Leiner. However, this time, Leiner hit the genre on the head, creating a comical success. Maybe it was the R rating. I recall thinking back to Dude, Where's My Car?, knowing how bad it sucked. Could some of that badness have been erased, had an R rating opened up more possibilities for crude humor? I think the answer to that question is yes, and it is evident in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.
  
  John Cho and Kal Penn carry this movie very well. I had seen John Cho in the American Pie movies before, but I never got around to seeing Van Wilder with Kal Penn. Either way, this is the first starring role movie for both of these guys or I think they did wonders with it. They have great onscreen chemistry and provide some really great dialogue exchanges. The rest of the acting was good too. Neil Patrick Harris was hilarious as himself and there were numerous other good performances, including Anthony Anderson, playing a Burger Shack Employee who delivers a monologue about why Harold and Kumar should go to White Castle.
  
  The soundtrack is also worth noting. A lot of the songs fit well, and I especially enjoyed a sequence where Harold and Kumar just let loose and start singing this soft song from 1991. It really is funny.
  
  Overall, I was very pleased with my experience seeing this picture. Of course, I was with three friends, which always helps the comedic experience. Call me crazy, but if at some parts where you aren't laughing and your friend does, you might catch the humor and join in. So it's a good buddy flick to see. Of course, the plot is thin (if any plot at all), but who needs plot? This is just a movie about two stoners and their misadventures along the way of finding a White Castle. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle is very simple and very fun. Recommended.
  
  
  www.filmstatic.com - we take review movies seriously and with an attitude, but not a serious attitude.
  
  
• The perils of youth make for a good time movie! GRIN
  By A2R6RA8FRBS608 on 2005-01-05
  Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle is indeed the plot of the movie; but make no mistake about it-it's a fun movie with some good twists and turns to make the ride fun. Of course, one night the two young men, Harold and Kumar, get the munchies and set out for some White Castle sliders. But can getting there be smooth? No way! We'd have no picture! GRIN
  
  Along the way to White Castle everything goes wrong but comes out funny for the audience, True, some of this isn't the high class type of subtle humor-but then if you're going to see it after hearing the title you wouldn't care, would you? (If you need Gone With The Wind, move along and skip this movie. If you liked Dude, Where's My Car?, then you'll LOVE this movie.)
  
  Harold and Kumar have to go through just about everything in their quest for White Castle sliders. They meet a sexy woman who wants them-but then they get turned off when her husband also wants into the bed! They are harassed by a tough gang, chased by cops, and have a "swell" time with a rabid raccoon.
  
  Younger people will have an easy time identifying with Harold and Kumar. It's also great that they include some things about the nastiness of humdrum work days with nasty politics. You wind up routing for the two heroes to get there! The fact that Harold and Kumar are Asian and Indian help flesh out their personalities and idiosyncrasies, too.
  
  But there's more! GRIN The DVD is unedited which may make you like it more; but maybe then you might not want to play this when the little ones are around! Doogie Howser, M.D. (Neil Patrick Harris) gets some screen time, and there are cameos by Jamie Kennedy and Ryan Reynolds.
  
  If you want to just relax and enjoy a fun movie without having to think too much, this is the movie for you. John Cho and Kal Penn do a great job of playing Harold and Kumar and the action moves swiftly, keeping people entertained.
  
  
  
• Cheech and Chong for the 21st Century
  By A1WL2EKE4TAEJP on 2005-01-10
  Stoner movies are perhaps some of the funniest things to happen to comedy. Lately, they've become a bit stale. "Dude, Where's My Car?" may have not been the stoner movie that features the stoner duo that a lot of us have longed for. Jay and Silent Bob were perhaps the answer, but Kevin Smith put the duo on indefinate hiatus... well, almost (read up on that somewhere else). The "Friday" series have lost its touch ever since Chris Tucker opted out on the sequel, and Mike Epps is NO "Smokey." And there's tons of other unfunny and forgettable stoner movies that the movie industry have shoved in front of our faces in hopes of finding the new Cheech and Chong and/or "Dazed and Confused." But now... we have Harold and Kumar.
  
  The minor twist, if you may, is the fact that both characters are neither Black nor White (nor Hispanic for that matter). Harold (John Cho) is a Korean-American whereas Kumar (Kal Penn) is an Indian-American. But these guys aren't dumb guys, but rather more intelligent than the other previously mentioned stoners. Harold works at an investment firm and sticks to get his work done before toking up. Kumar is a destined-to-be doctor, but doesn't want to follow the stereotypical Indian path of becoming one. After a hard day's work for both dudes, they come home to relax and get stoned. After laughing their heads and seeing a White Castle ad, they get the major munchies. Thus begins our heroes quest to get their hands on the perfect meal: White Castle burgers.
  
  But it isn't a typical and short trip. Going to the so-called nearest White Castle location, turns out it's not where it was supposed to be. The nearest White Castle would be a long drive away, but our heroes are determined to get their hands only on White Castle burgers. Along the way, they encounter numerous and unusual moments that involve a hostile raccoon, hot but weird girls, racist cops, "extreme" punks, a runaway cheetah, and Neil Patrick Harris (among many other things). I'd like to list more, but I think other reviewers here already spoiled it for ya... and I fear I'll give away too much (which I probably already have).
  
  Harold is faced with a load on his shoulders since while driving around to find White Castle, he's busy trying to get his work done and contemplating on how to get the girl he likes. He's a bit insecure, shy, and never speaks up when he should but always reluctantly gives in. Kumar is more open and wildly spontaneous. John Cho and Kal Penn are just absolutely brilliant in their roles. One being the MILF guy and the other the stereotypical Indian guy come together and just basically be themselves. Naturally, the characters are faced with stereotypical remarks (Harold called "Mr. Miyagi" and Kumar called "Apu") as well as other characters here, but the film just pokes fun at it and those who are prejudice and racist. Harold and Kumar know they are better and learn that "there's no sense in getting all riled up everytime a bunch of idiots give you a hard time. In the end, the universe tends to unfold as it should." Wise words given by a Black character named Tarik (Gary Anthony Williams... you may remember him as Smart Brother from "Undercover Brother") who Harold meets in a jail cell.
  
  "Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle" isn't your typical stoner movie. It's a smarter and intelligent comedy, not just rehashed junk from previously recent stoner movies. It contains more originality that made "Up In Smoke" and "Dazed and Confused" classics. Even though it's a bit similar to director Danny Leiner's previous stoner quest "Dude, Where's My Car?," he seemed to learn from his mistakes and provided us with a more lovable stoner duo than Chester and Jesse (Seann William Scott and Ashton Kutcher).
  
  Also, there's a very memorable movie moment when our heroes Harold and Kumar sing along to the Wilson Phillips classic "Hold On." It's certainly going to be remembered one of the most memorable moments in this movie (aside from the Neil Patrick Harris cameo). Like how the characters in "Almost Famous" sang along to Elton John's "Tiny Dancer," and I know there are other movies that share a similar memorable moment (which I'll post when I do find them), Harold and Kumar singing along to this song was, in my opinion, THE highlight of the movie.
  
  Aside from that, this movie was certainly the year's biggest surprise. The "Unrated" DVD extras contain deleted scenes, interviews, and of course the unrated feature film, although I didn't see much of a difference from when I watched it in theaters. Anywho, if your up for laughing, make "Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle" your first choice.
  
  
• Don't analyze this movie.
  By A12V69L5PJ1OQI on 2005-02-17
  Who writes these reviews??? This film is not meant for analysis, or introspection, or cultural relevence. Here is the "bottom line". Did you think Cheech and Chong were funny? If you said "NO", then get on with your life! You have no reason to see this film. If you said "YES", then get yourself a copy of this wraunchy, in-your-face, dube-smokin', road trippin', fart rippin', juvenile-giant of a comedy! Sure it's an all-out sell, for the White Castle franchise, but let me ask you: How many of you were ever stoned, and wanted Whities Sliders??? This movie made my 60 year old mom laugh! For those of you who are too young, or too disconnected, to know about Cheech and Chong, let me put it plain, and simple. Did you ever party like a maniac, and find yourself REALLY hungy, horny, and completely lost? If you've been there, then this film is for you, and ME. My actual rating is 4.5 stars. Yep. It was that depraved. ENJOY!
  
  
• They went through hell for....HAMBURGERS?!
  By A3S98L5B1SR9P1 on 2005-02-19
  This movie, while it does seem to perpetuate the stoner's image in society, does provide a few laughs for those who can stand it's plot lines predictability. Although it does follow the same plot line as one of the films by the same director ("Dude Where's My Car"), it is lovable and the characters don't learn too many lessons. THANK the writers...There is no big moral and they don't sicken you with too much character growth. Go see the movie. Don't expect it to change you life, just expect to be entertained.
  
  
• One of my favorite comedys!!!
  By A1FT3AS139GFJT on 2006-01-30
  I have to say I loved this film I laughed so hard when I first seen it and I still do and Ive seen it 1oo hundred times atleast, never get tired of dis one if I can never get tired of a comedy this its worth everything.
  
  Overall:4.4.......Hilarious
  
  
• An all-time classic
  By A2EPLD8KS096KE on 2006-02-07
  If you're looking for an academy award winner, this isn't going to be for you. But if you just want to laugh your head off for an hour and a half, look no further. Kal Pen and John Cho are absolutely hysterical on an absurd quest for the "perfect meal."
  
  
• Absolutely hilarious. Don't prejudge this flick. Watch it!
  By A1NFKE0TNZUGGC on 2006-03-31
  When this movie came out, though I love my White Castles I found the premise for a comedy absurd. And the relatively unknown lead actors didn't exactly have me racing to the theater either. I had this movie recorded and on the shelf for over a year and hadn't watched it. Finally one day when this came on the Dish while I was sitting around, I watched a bit, next time a bit more, till eventually I watched it all the way through. Now I watch it whenever it's on the tube. This is one hilarious, funny movie- quick, clever and sharp witted. It's also low brow, trashy and over the top. I love it! Some movies that can work- this one it does. I know nothing about the 2 lead actors, but do well known actors guarantee laughs? I'll stick this movie up against the "Dodgeballs" and "Anchormans" (2 of the most over rated movies I've ever seen!) with their brand name actors. "Generic" John Cho and Kal Penn as the lead characters in "Harold and Kumar" are perfect in their roles- very quick and play off each other well. I'll put their characters against ANY Will Ferrel or some of Ben Stiller's flicks, where, merely because of their presence you're supposed to laugh. Cho and Penn should be paired together again, whether that's in a sequel or any other reason, provided a quality script. This movie has some of the funnest situations and comedic writing I've ever seen. I can't explain why it is I never gave this flick the time to watch, but do know there are lots of others like me. Whatever the road block, push it aside. You're denying yourself a movie that will leave creases in your face from laughing so much and so non-stop. If I were to have avoided this merley because it was from the same director of the God-awful "Dude, Where's My Car?", I would have missed out on one of my favorite comedies. I can only suggest you don't make the same mistake. You'll never look at Neil Patrick Harris the same way- one of the best cameos ever. This movie is one funny scene after another. There's a string of hilarious characters they cross in their journey to get to their ultimate destination. This fits into the "so funny it flies by" movie category.
  
  
• What idiots!
  By ADQQE8RSV6KFP on 2004-09-23
  Kumar and Harold go through all kinds of nonsense, violence and hardship. When they finally persevere all these tortures and runarounds, what do they get?
  
  37 White Castle burgers. The equivilent of a 1 and 1/2 Whoppers to split between them.
  
  They saw a damn Burger King in the beginning of the movie. It would have been a whole lot cheaper and tastier to just have gone there and saved an [backside] load of money as well.
  
  Idiots!
  
  

• Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay (Unrated Two-Disc Special Edition + Digital Copy)
• Eurotrip (Unrated Widescreen Edition)
• Super Troopers
• Grandma's Boy (Unrated Edition)
• National Lampoon's Van Wilder