Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)

Director: Danny Leiner

Cast: John Cho as Harold Lee, Ethan Embry as Billy Carver, Robert Tinkler as J.D., Fred Willard as Dr. Willoughby, Kal Penn as Kumar Patel, Steve Braun as Cole, Dan Bochart as Extreme Sports Punk #1, Paula Garcés as Maria (as Paula Garcès), Mike Sheer as 'I'm So High' Kid, Christopher Thompson as 'Don't You Wanna Be Cool' Kid, David Krumholtz as Goldstein, Eddie Kaye Thomas as Rosenberg, Angelo Tsarouchas as Mean Tollbooth Guy (as Angelo Tsachouras), Anthony Anderson as Burger Shack Employee, Siu Ta as Cindy Kim

With the title "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle", how can one not see
this movie? Well, one could, and would be missing a very funny movie.
H&R is genius creative marketing, and the director Danny Leiner's movie
is actually funnier than it's trailer. The movie demographic is
probably from 15 to 25-- totally not mine. Written by Jon Hurwitz and
Hayden Schlossberg, the story is more hit than miss, with inspired
moments and a drugged out cool. Consequently, the humor can be gross
out bathroom humor. However, "Harold & Kumar" can be clever funny, and
has moments of comic genius. In the beginning, Kumar(Kal Penn) is
having a medical school interview, and the dean (a classically clueless
Fred Ward) asks him why he isn't already in school with his perfect
MCAT scores. Kumar says, "Just because you're hung like moose, doesn't
mean you have to do porn." I was rolling. John Cho and Kal Penn as
Harold and Kumar have a natural chemistry and are completely charming.
Cho and Penn overcome much of the movie's inconsistencies.

Harold (Cho) is the straight Korean guy who works as an associate at an
investment bank. Kumar is the free spirited Indian guy, who interviews
with medical schools, but never accepts. That way his father keeps
supporting him. It's Friday, and one of the partners at Harold's firm
dumps a report on Harold, so that he can party with some babes--
unbeknown-st to Harold. The report is due on Saturday. Harold is not
having a particularly stellar day.

Kumar wants to smoke pot with his bud, regardless of Harold's deadline.
Back at their apartment complex, we meet Maria (a gorgeous Paula
Garces), the object of Harold's affection. Harold is in love with her,
but has yet to utter a complete sentence to her in their daily elevator
rides. So Harold and Kumar smoke weed and watch TV. Then they get the
munchies, and thus begins their quest for White Castle-- somewhere in
New Jersey.

Give props to Leiner, Hurwitz, and Schlossberg for ignoring political
correctness and having fun with stereotypes. Even in this simplistic
comedy, this frames the story as the Harold and Kumar evolve-- after
the high subsides. The scenes where Harold is giving career advice at a
college Asian club meeting or where Kumar is talking with his father
and older brother who are both doctors at the hospital are funny, and
have an air of authenticity. Also the story plays off the fact that our
duo are perceived geeks and are targets of the Extreme Sports Punks.

"Harold and Kumar" has some of the funniest scenes that sometimes blur
lines of taste. Regardless, it's funny. In their quest for White Castle
burgers and... getting laid, they end up at the home of mechanic
Freakshow (an unrecognizable Chris Meloni). The "threesome" encounter
with Lianne (the stunning Malin Akerman), Freakshow's wife, is hot and
hilarious-- more than the trailer tease which is good. Perhaps, H&K's
defining moment is when the high duo ride a cheetah through the woods.
You have to see the movie for this. Neil Patrick Harris as himself is
awesome. H&K pick the Harris on the road on the way to White Castle.
Amazingly, his character is integral to the plot-- really. Harris is
having fun playing against his own casting stereotype, and doing it
well. He is totally out there.

You can figure out how this all ends. "Harold and Kumar" is not a
cinematic masterpiece, but it is a lot of fun. John Cho is a talented
reactive actor, some of his expression are priceless. Kal Penn is a
great smart guy rebel, and a good actor. The two together are a solid
comic team. I would see, for example "Harold and Kumar Go to
Disneyland".