Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle

Harold is an Asian-American accountant who works in a cubicle, is bullied by his peers, wants to date his beautiful neighbor, and, during the night in which this movie takes place, wants to satiate his marijuana-induced hunger with a White Castle “slider”.

Kumar is a guy of indeterminate (at least by me) Middle Eastern ethnicity who’s a ne’er-do-well wise-ass slacker who continuously interviews for med-schools, just to keep his father paying Kumar’s rent; and, during the night in which this movie takes place, wants to satiate his marijuana-induced hunger with a White Castle “slider”.

Harold and Kumar are the Cheech and Chong of the 21^st Century. However, the similarity between H&K and C&C ends with the pot. H&K are intelligent young men who enjoy their pot, but spend the majority of this movie on a quest for it, not just using it, all the while trying to find the elusive White Castle. Along the way they meet a variety of bizarre characters – Jaime Kennedy in an uncredited cameo as a very gross, pus-spewing hillbilly [UPDATE: Rob Wrate notified me that this character was not played by the aforementioned Jaime Kennedy, although he does have a later cameo]; an inexperienced pot-dealer at Princeton; an over-the-top doctor (played by Ryan Reynolds); violent skinheads; and, my favorite – Neil Patrick Harris playing himself.

Neil Patrick Harris (or “NPH” as he’s referred to by one Doogie fan in the movie) is hilarious. Playing himself, he hitches a ride with H&K, and the following dialogue ensues:

Harold: Neil, you wouldn’t happen to know how to get on the highway from here, would you?
NPH: Dude, I don’t even know where the f**k I am right now. I was at this party earlier tonight and some guy hooked me up with this incredible “X” - next thing I know I’m being thrown out of a moving car. I’ve been trippin’ balls ever since.
Kumar: That’s crazy, dude. We’ve been having a pretty crazy night, too. We’ve just been driving around looking for White Castle but we keep getting sidetracked.
NPH: Yeah, dude, you fascinate me. Forget White Castle, let’s go get some p**sy!
Harold: Huh?
NPH: It’s a f**king sausage fest in here, bros. Let’s get some p**ntang, THEN we’ll go to White Castle.
Kumar: No, Neil, you don’t understand. We’ve been craving these burgers all night.
NPH: Yeah, I’ve been craving burgers, too. Furburgers. Come on, dudes, let’s pick up some trim at a strip club. The Doogie line always works on strippers. [singing] Lapdance...
Kumar: [pause] There’s a gas station. I’m gonna see if I can get some directions.
NPH: You don’t need dir- gah! Hurry up, dudes, hurry up! I’m losing wood.

As you can see, we ain’t in Kansas anymore. Watch this movie. Oh, and rumor has it that a sequel is in the works: “Harold and Kumar Go to Amsterdam”. Please, let this be true….