Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle
When you've got a craving, sometimes nothing satisfies quite like some junk food. Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle is a comedy about two young men--unsurprisingly, Harold Lee (John Cho) and Kumar Patel (Kal Penn)--who get fixated on the idea of going out for White Castle hamburgers following a marathon session of smoking marijuana, to cope with the subsequent case of the munchies. But Harold and Kumar's odyssey becomes an increasingly outrageous ordeal, and each hurdle only makes the elusive fast food finish line all the more enticing.
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Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle is an outlandish comedy, depicting a series of escalating events designed to prevent these mismatched roommates from realizing their seemingly simple quest to sate their hunger. The style of comedy in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle is the same kind commonly associated with the raunchy "teen movies" from the late 1990s and early 2000s, like American Pie, although this film avoids moments of needless melodrama, and cuts right to the humor with plenty of irreverent humor. It also follows a tradition of stoner-buddy flicks, like the movies of the comedy duo, "Cheech & Chong". Harold and Kumar are also both minorities, and elements of social injustices experienced by people like Harold and Kumar is a theme explored in the film. This usually comes up when they are forced to deal with white people who make assumptions about them based on stereotypes. (The trailer coyly teases this by identifying Harold and Kumar as "that Asian guy" from American Pie and "that Indian guy" from Van Wilder.) The film avoids giving these stereotypes any ground by making both Harold and Kumar detailed (and surprisingly complex) characters by making their troubles and complications plausible and universal--in spite of their wild adventure. It may be my impression, but I find Harold more relatable; he is a shy man, who is constantly striving to present himself in a positive light, even when it nets him the pejorative nickname of "twinkie". Harold has a crush on a woman he knows as Maria (Paula Garcés), a neighbor in his apartment building, yet awkwardly freezes up when it comes to taking the plunge to ask her out. Harold is too nice of a guy--he gets coerced by his slimy supervisors into doing their work for them; rather than cause friction, Harold acquiesces, much to the dismay of his roommate. Kumar, on the other hand, is a bit of a medical savant, but he resents his talent, desperate to avoid being stuck in such a stereotypical role for an Indian-American, and is instead committed to goofing off--the polar opposite of Harold. It's no stretch to say that their relationship--while amicable on the whole--is an "Odd Couple" paradigm. But Kumar sees how bent out of shape his buddy becomes after a week of performing on command at work, so he prescribes a night of doobage to ease his tension, even if it means bringing him along kicking and screaming. So Kumar's suggestion, illegal or otherwise, isn't that half-baked (apologies, couldn't resist).
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle has some really silly moments, like when the duo gets ridiculously stoned and take it upon themselves to try to ride an escaped cheetah to make up lost time in their expedition. When Harold is knocked unconscious, he dreams in vivid detail of trying to rescue Maria from a castle, while enthusiastic hamburgers dance around him. Equally bizarre in its own way, they pick up Neil Patrick Harris (playing a fictionalized version of himself), who steals Harold's car, and parties around the side roads of New Jersey like a rock star to the extreme. The humor of Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle hinges on taking these two rather convincing fellows--some incidents aside--and putting them in moments which are so crazy as to be unbelievable. In this, their adventure resembles the night of chaos from films like After Hours, as if this pair had entered some alternate realm where the more they struggle to achieve their goal, the more the universe seems determined to prevent them from reaching it. There is a moment which underscores this when Harold and Kumar see another couple of stoner neighbors at a hot dog restaurant, enjoying the fast food meal they sought, and Harold quietly remarks, "I want that". This moment resonates for both of them, as their quest is one where the destination is less important than the sense of accomplishment that comes with getting something for all their struggle--no matter the absurdity of it. Their desire for White Castle is arbitrary, fueled by an alluring commercial--but, boy, if the film doesn't just capture the potency of advertising affecting a mind under the influence with gusto. In the end, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle isn't really even claiming that White Castle is so great (understatement of the century), but it is a metaphor for something they needed to have at an inherent level. It is the representation of their deeper desires, be it freedom, a lovely girl in the elevator, manifested in the form of a greasy slider.
Recommended for: Fans of an over-the-top comedy with outlandish moments and crazy situations befalling a pair of pot-smoking fellows. With sophomoric humor and a healthy dose of raunchiness, it is not for all audiences, but the sympathetic protagonists and silliness makes it a surprisingly endearing romp.
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle has some really silly moments, like when the duo gets ridiculously stoned and take it upon themselves to try to ride an escaped cheetah to make up lost time in their expedition. When Harold is knocked unconscious, he dreams in vivid detail of trying to rescue Maria from a castle, while enthusiastic hamburgers dance around him. Equally bizarre in its own way, they pick up Neil Patrick Harris (playing a fictionalized version of himself), who steals Harold's car, and parties around the side roads of New Jersey like a rock star to the extreme. The humor of Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle hinges on taking these two rather convincing fellows--some incidents aside--and putting them in moments which are so crazy as to be unbelievable. In this, their adventure resembles the night of chaos from films like After Hours, as if this pair had entered some alternate realm where the more they struggle to achieve their goal, the more the universe seems determined to prevent them from reaching it. There is a moment which underscores this when Harold and Kumar see another couple of stoner neighbors at a hot dog restaurant, enjoying the fast food meal they sought, and Harold quietly remarks, "I want that". This moment resonates for both of them, as their quest is one where the destination is less important than the sense of accomplishment that comes with getting something for all their struggle--no matter the absurdity of it. Their desire for White Castle is arbitrary, fueled by an alluring commercial--but, boy, if the film doesn't just capture the potency of advertising affecting a mind under the influence with gusto. In the end, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle isn't really even claiming that White Castle is so great (understatement of the century), but it is a metaphor for something they needed to have at an inherent level. It is the representation of their deeper desires, be it freedom, a lovely girl in the elevator, manifested in the form of a greasy slider.
Recommended for: Fans of an over-the-top comedy with outlandish moments and crazy situations befalling a pair of pot-smoking fellows. With sophomoric humor and a healthy dose of raunchiness, it is not for all audiences, but the sympathetic protagonists and silliness makes it a surprisingly endearing romp.