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Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 16; suggested age 15.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Extremely dumb and vulgar comedy; not for kids.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–16

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Rampant homophobic and racist humor meant as over the top. But -- almost unheard of in Hollywood -- the movie's titular stars are Asian and Indian.
  • Violence:

    A surgery scene with much blood.
  • Sex:

    Frequent and explicit sexual references and situations.
  • Language:

    Strong language.
  • Consumerism:

    White Castle is prominently on display here.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Constant drug use.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle was written by Nell Minow

Parents need to know that this movie wallows in bad taste and is cheerfully vulgar and offensive in every possible category. It includes constant drug use, bad language, extremely explicit toilet humor, and frequent and explicit sexual references and situations. There is comic violence, some graphic, including a scene in surgery with a lot of blood and a disfigured man. While some characters are bigoted and there is a lot of homophobic and racist humor, a strength of the movie is the portrayal of diverse characters.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about how Harold and Kumar deal with pressure from family and co-workers. What does it mean to say that "the universe tends to unfold as it should?" They might also want to talk about their own views on alcohol and drugs.
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More on Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle

What’s the Story?

The title sums up the plot. Harold (John Cho) has a job that requires him to analyze numbers and a crush on a pretty girl in his building. He also has a big assignment that has just been dumped on him by his boss. Kumar (Kal Penn) is a slacker whose only ambition is not to become a doctor like his father and brother. Oh, and to get completely baked, with which Harold concurs. Once happily stoned, the duo realize that there is only one more thing they need to achieve perfect happiness, those scumptious square hamburgers from White Castle. But the nearest White Castle is a long drive away and it will get a lot longer as Harold and Kumar run into all kinds of characters and crazy adventures along the way.

Is It Any Good?

This unpretentiously genial little stoner comedy has a couple of things going for it. The characters and jokes are a bit above average for a genre with admittedly low standards. And its very unambitiousness gives the film moments that almost approach charm. Many of Harold and Kumar's adventures are gross, disgusting, and downright stupid. However, there are a couple of moments that are funny, sweet, and even smart, and some commentary on race and ethnicity that almost qualifies as subtle. Cho and Penn are engaging, especially when they sheepishly but then with increasing joy sing along with Wilson Phillips, and there are appearances by Fred Willard, Neil Patrick Harris, and Anthony Anderson. I also give it extra credit for avoiding the obvious forms of triumph over the bad guys.

That said, it's still mostly just extremely dumb, cheerfully vulgar, wallows in bad taste, and is offensive in every possible category. It includes constant drug use, bad language, extremely explicit toilet humor, and frequent and explicit sexual references and situations. There is comic violence, some graphic, including a scene in surgery with a lot of blood and a disfigured man. While some characters are bigoted and there is a lot of homophobic and racist humor, a strength of the movie is the portrayal of diverse characters.

Movie Details

Studio: New Line Cinema, Director: Danny Leiner
Run time: 87 minutes
Theatrical release: 7/29/2004, DVD release: 1/3/2005
MPAA Rating: R for strong language, sexual content, drug use and some crude humor

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    Nudity, bad launguage, and drugs (throughout)

    this is an awesome movie! there is ten seconds of topless nudity, lots of f***'s said,kinda bloody and violent. Harold and Kumar get high witch is clearly shown a couple times. Saw the tv version but ordered the EXTREME UNRATED (the cover isn't appealing or appropriate but this movie is halrious

  2. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Minnesota
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Excessive consumerism
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    Amazing!!!

    theres a 8 second breast scene then a bruef 2 second scene

  3. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 4.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content

    Harold&Kumar Go to White Castle is extremely funny and it's a very enjoyable movie to watch. The plot of two friends trying to get some white castle burgers and hitting many detours along the road, is played out well and the actors are very funny. I'd recommend this movie to any stoner comedy fan or anyone whose a little bored. This is a very fun movie to watch when you have some extra time on your hands. There are a couple things that parents will want to watch out for though. Almost all the characters are stoners who often get high and marijuana is talked about and shown frequently. There is one bloody scene when the two main characters are dressed as doctors and are forced to perform surgery on a person who was shot (the person ends up okay). There are a handful of f-words, s-words and more minor swear words, however nothing too alarming. There are many crude sexual references and potty-humor jokes. Breasts and a mans butt are shown, and one person dreams of having sex with a giant bag of weed. I might recommend to a parent to watch this with their kid(s), as to offer suggestions or parental guidance whether it is right that Harold and Kumar smoke weed or do some of the things they do (such as stealing a car).

  4. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 5.0

    funny

    great movie it is very funny. there is a lot of sexual slag words, drug use, slag words for drug use and any tope of slag words for any thing. but the slag words are okay for kids 11 and. thanks for your time

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it 5.0

    You'll Get Laryngitis, You'll Laugh So Hard

    This film is extremely inappropriate for anyone except for teens and up. There's sex (the Christian guy's girlfriend unbuttons her shirt and says to the boys "Do you wanna f*** me now or what?), almost constant use of the f-word, constant drug use (this is a stoner film, so expect weed ahoy), and anti-Indian and Asian humor (against Harold/Kumar). The film is about two college aged guys, one being in an office and Asian, the other being an Indian med student. They go on a quest to get exxxxxtremely baked and go to the White Castle. This movie is so dang funny my throat was tired.

  6. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title off for age 0 and give it 5.0

  7. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 5.0

    good

    :)=)

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