Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)
82%RT Audience Score: 80%
Awards & Nominations: 3 nominations
The likable leads and subversion of racial stereotypes elevate Harold and Kumar above the typical stoner comedy
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle is a hilarious movie that will have you laughing from start to finish. The film is a perfect blend of gross-out humor and anti-racism messages, all while confronting Asian male stereotypes. John Cho and Kal Penn have great chemistry and make for a likable duo that you can’t help but root for. Plus, the movie is perfect for a night in with some greasy comfort food. Just make sure to watch it with an open mind and maybe a little cannabis enhancement.
Production Company(ies)
Bryna Productions,
Distributor
New Line Cinema
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
398 Avenue Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong language, sexual content, drug use and some crude humor
Year of Release
2004
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 28m
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Language(s):English, Hindi
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 30, 2004 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 4, 2005
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring John Cho, Kal Penn, Paula Garcés, Neil Patrick Harris, David Krumholtz, Eddie Kaye Thomas, directed by Danny Leiner, written by Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, Comedy, R, box office performance, $18.2M, reviewed by Nell Minow, Peter Travers, Derek Adams, Nev Pierce, Stephanie Zacharek, Kimberley Jones, Ryan James Kim, Jason Shawhan, Micheal Compton, Felix Vasquez Jr., Cole Smithey, produced by Greg Shapiro, Nathan Kahane, MPAA rating, White Castle, stoner comedy, New Jersey, racial stereotypes, rednecks, cops, sliders, late-night odyssey, Dolby SRD, SDDS, Surround, DTS, Flat (1.85:1)
Worldwide gross: $23,936,908
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $37,760,147
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,464
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 4,117,791
US/Canada gross: $18,250,550
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $28,789,995
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,287
US/Canada opening weekend: $5,200,000
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $8,202,929
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,007
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $9,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $14,197,378
Production budget ranking: 1,535
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $7,645,288
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $15,917,482
ROI to date (est.): 73%
ROI ranking: 1,047
Kal Penn – Kumar
Paula Garcés – Maria
Neil Patrick Harris – Self
David Krumholtz – Goldstein
Eddie Kaye Thomas – Rosenberg
Director – Danny Leiner
Producers – Greg Shapiro, Nathan Kahane
Writers – Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg
Director(s)
Danny Leiner
Writer(s)
Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg
Producer(s)
Greg Shapiro, Nathan Kahane
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (149) | Top Critics (39) | Fresh (110) | Rotten (39)
Extremely dumb and vulgar comedy; not for kids.
December 24, 2010 | Rating: 3/5
Nell Minow
Common Sense Media
TOP CRITIC
A multilayered goof on ethnic stereotypes…
August 14, 2007 | Rating: 3.5/4
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone
TOP CRITIC
Behind all the Farrelly-esque gross-out humour and Cheech & Chong-isms lies a sensitive little picture with a deftly handled anti-racism slant.
February 9, 2006
Derek Adams
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
There’s an audience that will appreciate this, but they may struggle to see it through the smoke.
March 1, 2005 | Rating: 2/5
Nev Pierce
BBC.com
TOP CRITIC
Stretches the boundaries of offensiveness in ways that both make us laugh and make us think.
January 15, 2005
Stephanie Zacharek
Salon.com
TOP CRITIC
What grounds the film, always, is the likableness of leads Cho and Penn.
August 1, 2004 | Rating: 3.5/5
Kimberley Jones
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
What I especially liked about Harold and Kumar was its systematic confrontation and denial of all the Asian male stereotypes I’ve come to despise.
April 5, 2022
Ryan James Kim
The Advocate
Getcha some of your favorite greasy comfort food and spend some time with Harold and Kumar – the time is right for some socially optimistic comedy.
September 10, 2021
Jason Shawhan
Nashville Scene
To their credit, John Cho and Kal Penn do have a nice chemistry, even if they are stuck in a dead-end film.
November 16, 2019
Micheal Compton
Bowling Green Daily News
One of the funniest films I’ve seen in a years.
April 8, 2014
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed
You’ll laugh, you’ll laugh, and you’ll laugh%u2014especially if you see the movie in the cannabis enhanced glaze that the filmmakers intend.
April 15, 2009 | Rating: B+
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com
‘This night is about the American dream,’ Kumar promises, and you know what? It sort of is. [Blu-Ray]
August 4, 2008 | Rating: 2.5/4
Peter Canavese
Groucho Reviews…
Plot
Harold Lee and Kumar Patel are two stoners who end up getting the munchies. What they crave the most after seeing a TV advertisement, is a trip to White Castle. So from here, follows a journey for the burgers they require. On their way they will encounter many obstacles including a raccoon, a racist officer, and a horny Neil Patrick Harris.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Neil Patrick Harris makes a hilarious cameo as a drug-addled version of himself in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.
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