|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The set-up suggests an extended commercial for a burger chain: two recent college grads/weekend stoners are met with countless obstacles on their journey to the mecca that is White Castle. But what sounds like a capitalist version of the well-worn weed comedy turns out to be a hilarious jaunt around Jersey with plenty of jabs at consumer culture, modern-day hippies, "extreme sports" dudes, cops, homophobes, and Jesus freaks and even a few subtle pokes at our commander in chief. Played by John Cho (the "MILF" kid from American Pie) and Kal Penn, Harold and Kumar are a contemporary Cheech and Chong, only younger, smarter, and less fried. Director Danny Leiner (Dude, Where’s My Car?) provides some silly sight gags, slapstick, and bathroom humor, but the film’s hilariously on-point dialogue — courtesy of high-school pals Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, here making their feature screenwriting debut — drives the comedy. Throw in funny cameos by Ethan Embry, Fred Willard, Chris Molina, and Neil Patrick ("Doogie Howser") Harris as himself and just as the hapless Harold turns out to be "worthwhile, not worthless," so does the film. (88 minutes)
BY WILL SPITZ
|
