I saw the first Harold and Kumar movie on DVD. I thought it was pretty funny. Could’ve been funnier, but it was a rental, so it was worth it. I decided to give the second one the benefit of the doubt thinking maybe this one will increase the funny. It was about the same, but it cost me ten bucks. Oh well.
I suppose it’s about what I expected either way. There was some sexual gross-out humor that I don’t really care for. Simulated ejaculate isn’t really funny. (Editor’s Note: I actually had to look up the word ejaculate to see if it could be used as a noun. Turns out it can. Well done, Neil.) Ok, it was mildly amusing in the first “American Pie” movie. But then, that was the only one of those movies worth seeing, too. And there are even jokes about pooping! Now THAT’S comedy! It’s ironic that the humor that would make a nine year old laugh is in a movie that’s rated for people much older than that.
There are lots of jokes about race, people from the South, and our government. Even George W. Bush gets a big scene as the beer drinking, pot smoking knucklehead we all make him out to be. Of course in the film it’s an impersonator, right? Right?
Like the first one, this is low-brow humor in a road trip movie. And of course, Neil Patrick Harris appears as himself! He really gets the best screen time and therefore should get more. The guy is hilarious and seems to really have fun getting to play an insane drug-addled celebrity full of self love. You know, because in real life, celebrities aren’t like that at all. I’ll just say this: Neil Patrick Harris on a unicorn. Oh yeah.
Harold and Kumar plan to fly to Amsterdam to see Harold’s girlfriend. On the plane Kumar lights up his “smokeless bong” in the plane’s bathroom. Someone sees him and screams “bomb!” and all hell breaks loose. So, back on the ground the government agents show up and send them to Guantanamo Bay.
After some unpleasantness of “meat sandwich” jokes, they escape and the road movie begins as they try to get to Texas where Kumar’s ex-girlfriend is supposed to be getting married. The guy she’s marrying is a super conservative and knows people in politics so maybe he can help the guys out of this jam. Turns out he was also a friend of Harold’s. And of course Kumar still loves this girl and wants to break up the wedding. Who didn’t see that one coming?
Oh, the antics they have on their travels. They meet up with a Southern couple that turn out to be brother and sister, the KKK, gun wielding prostitutes (thanks to Neil Patrick Harris), and of course, George W. himself. All of this transpires with varying degrees of success or lack thereof.
The upside is that Harold and Kumar are just a couple of likable potheads and you actually want them to succeed. Hey, I can’t help it. These aren’t bad guys, they just make a bad decision or two. C’mon, who hasn’t tried to smoke a bong in an airplane bathroom? Is that so wrong?
This would, like the first one, be an amusing DVD rental. But don’t do what I did and spend your hard earned ten dollars on it in the theater. Unless you’re 15. Then find a parent or guardian to get around the R rating and go spend your allowance like crazy.
–Neil T. Weakley, movie goer.
