Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Raucous, crude stoner comedy is funny but not for kids.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas
What's the Story?
Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn), the famous stoner duo, have drifted apart. Harold has become a married Wall Street banker with a house in the suburbs, and Kumar has ... not. He's still a die-hard pot smoker, who lives alone in a filthy apartment. But in A VERY HAROLD & KUMAR 3D CHRISTMAS, a mysterious gift brings the pair back together, and soon they're running through the streets of New York during a wild night of misadventures that features Russian mobsters, a giant killer snowman, a waffle-making robot, and, of course, plenty of drugs. Their mission is to find a Christmas tree, but the real goal is to rediscover their friendship.
Is It Any Good?
The third installment of the Harold and Kumar franchise is quite funny, even though it goes so very wrong in so many ways. There's the baby who gets dosed with several strong drugs, the accidental shooting of a revered holiday icon, the celebrity who pretends to be gay so he can bed women (the gay-in-real-life Neil Patrick Harris, again playing a debauched version of himself), the racial stereotypes, the underage drinking, and (of course) the over-the-top drug consumption.
Nobody is spared in this stoner comedy, which is part of the reason it works. Also, it has heart. This isn't just a film about getting high; it's a movie about friendship and growing up ... and getting high. Harold and Kumar realize that though they've grown in different directions, they both learn from each other. In the process, they become better friends and better people. (And did we mention they get high?) This film is in 3-D, though not for any obvious reason. If the main goal was to show a giant marijuana smoke ring coming right at the viewers, the filmmakers succeeded. Otherwise, the effect is mostly unnecessary.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's messages about drugs and drug use. Do you think this is an accurate depiction of social attitudes about marijuana? Why or why not? Does the movie address any of the consequences of drug use? As a comedy, is it expected to?
How do Harold and Kumar change over the course of the film? Why is Kumar so reluctant to grow up? Why do you think the friends drifted apart? Does their friendship seem believable? Were drugs really the only thing that could bring them back together?
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 4, 2011
- On DVD or streaming : February 7, 2012
- Cast : John Cho , Kal Penn , Neil Patrick Harris
- Director : Todd Strauss-Schulson
- Inclusion Information : Asian Movie Actor(s) , Gay Movie Actor(s) , Indian/South Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Mandate Pictures
- Genre : Comedy
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong and crude sexual content, graphic nudity, pervasive language, drug use and some violence
- Last updated : January 17, 2025
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