Movie Review: Harold and Kumar take on Christmas — and win
Submitted by admin on Sun, 11/06/2011 - 7:18am
I missed the first two films in the "Harold and Kumar" series, but if they were as goofy and off-the-wall funny and nonsensical as "A Very Merry Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas," I've got some catching up to do.
The newest in the franchise is playing at the Fandango Galaxy cineplex in Carson City and watching it is like seeing all the possible gags from Hollywood over the years with a lot of stuff only the drug-using 21st Century could think up.
Yes, there's a plot, something about a Christmas tree that got burned up by a wayward monster joint, and Harold's father-in-law grew the tree and it's the heart of his Christmas so Harold better find a replacement. Harold and Kumar wander New York City searching for a substitute.
The film has everything that a goofy pair of writers could dredge up, from switching from live actors to dolls without reason, for drug-loaded Noel parties, to a baby who becomes an addict, to nude women, to pregnancy to … it goes on and on and is wildly weird and mostly funny, particularly if you are under the age of 40 (and seniors can enjoy it just as well if they leave the old ideas of what's funny behind).
There's nobody or type that isn't laughed at, no political correctness anywhere. If it's funny, it's there and let the offenses fall where they may.
Look, I'm not going to bore you with a lot of plot talk, it isn't needed to describe this outing, which somehow even gets in something like the Occupy Wall Street movement among other things. It even has Santa getting shot out of his sleigh and doctored by Kumar. And Neil Patrick Harris as himself carries on in fine tradition of the series with a parody musical review scene.
And somehow before it's over, Harold and Kumar find a wacky kind of Christmas spirit to share. This may well be the best Christmas movie of the year.
--- Sam Bauman
Cast
• John Cho as Harold Lee
• Kal Penn as Kumar Patel
• Neil Patrick Harris as Neil Patrick Harris
• Danneel Harris as Vanessa Fanning
• Paula Garcés as Maria Perez-Lee
• Elias Koteas as Sergei Katsov
• Patton Oswalt as Larry Juston/Mall Santa
• Thomas Lennon as Todd
• Eddie Kaye Thomas as Andy Rosenberg
• David Krumholtz as Seth Goldstein
• Bobby Lee as Kenneth Park
• Danny Trejo as Mr. Perez
• Amir Blumenfeld as Adrian
• Jordan Hinson as Mary
• Melissa Ordway as Gracie
• RZA as Lamar
• Richard Riehle as Santa Claus
• Brett Gelman as T.V. Director
• David Burtka as David
Directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson
Produced by Greg Shapiro
Written by Jon Hurwitz
Hayden Schlossberg
Music by William Ross
Cinematography Michael Barrett
Editing by Eric Kissack
Running time 89 minutes, rated R
