Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle

There’s little doubt that Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle fares a whole lot better than the majority of its stoner-comedy brethren (eg Half Baked), as the film boasts two lead characters that essentially transcend the limitations of the genre thanks to their overtly relatable qualities. Screenwriters Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg offer up an episodic storyline that follows potheads Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) as they attempt to satisfy their hunger pangs by tracking down a White Castle restaurant, with the duo’s efforts consistently hampered by a myriad of interruptions and delays (including a hilarious encounter with past-and-present sitcom star Neil Patrick Harris). Director Danny Leiner has infused Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle with an expectedly straight-forward sensibility that hardly belies the production’s low budget, and while certain sequences are simply unable to elicit even a chuckle from the viewer (eg Battle Shits), Cho and Penn’s easy-going work – as well as their palpable chemistry with one another – tends to carry the film through its admittedly hit-and-miss structure. And as funny as some of the more over-the-top moments are (eg Harold and Kumar’s run-in with Christopher Meloni’s creepy mountain man), there’s no denying that the movie’s most entertaining interludes are generally its simplest (eg the titular pair enthusiastically sing along to Wilson Phillips’ “Hold On”). The filmmakers’ decision to subtly tackle several racial stereotypes periodically infuses the proceedings with a surprisingly relevant vibe, although – ultimately – it’s the believability of the central characters’ friendship that cements Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle‘s success.

*** out of ****