Posted Aug. 1, 2004.
"Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle" 1.5 stars New Line Cinema R, 88 m with Kal Penn and John Cho. Directed by Danny Leiner.
Lookout Green Day, Harold and Kumar are the "minority." True, there may be better ways to start a review, but there are also better ways to market a movie. Is this movie telling a generation of teens that if they suffer from ethnic mockery and racial profiling they just need to participate in the American fast food tradition? It's one theory, but maybe one inspired by the fact that Harold and Kumar were just on a lot of weed at the time.
This movie is fun and that's most important. It's summer and everyone likes to have fun. If that involves following the unlikely exploits of the new Cheech and Chong on a road trip through clich?, so be it.
This movie is no instant classic. It lacks the appeal of the oft-quoted "Old School" and this year's "Dodgeball." It doesn't even have the punch of 2001's "Road Trip," which wasn't that good anyway. It does, however, have something that all those movies lack.
It radiates an effect of honest faith in Harold and Kumar's friendship. Something about the way they interact makes you want to see them make it no matter what.
This movie doesn't take itself seriously at all, which is a shame. At points it suggests an exploration of more meaningful topics, but by the end of the movie it disintegrates into a singular point that doesn't quite bring their entire adventure full circle. It didn't need to be a commentary on the problems of race in American society, but the writers could have taken a hint from Broken Lizards, the comedy troupe that made "Super Troopers" and "Club Dread," on how to bring things full circle.
"Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle" is, sad to say, not worth seeing unless you have nothing better to see. In such an instance it will do fine for a night when you're high on energy and low on plans. No blame can be placed on the cast though. The writing here suffers from the same problems that "Dude, Where's My Car?" the "American Pie" sequels did.
Kal Penn and John Cho do a stellar job but the life of a comedy actor is not easy. If they aren't stereotyped into buddies, they may be pigeonholed into comedies and if this current trend of great casts in poorly written comedies continues ("White Chicks") then any popularity they incur may be a curse. Let's hope that 20 years ahead there won't be a bitter Harold and Kumar promoting the release of their 7-disc DVD box set at a cult movie convention in New Jersey, hating each other and, even more, hating the White Castle burgers they've been forced to eat for years since everyone thinks they really like them.
