Harold & Kumar

Harold & Kumar is the name for a series of American stoner comedy films starring John Cho (Harold) and Kal Penn (Kumar). The first film, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, was released on July 30, 2004, by New Line Cinema and spawned a sequel titled Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, released four years later. A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, the third installment of the series, opened nationwide in the U.S. on November 4, 2011.

Despite some mixed critical responses, the series has been a financial success. The three films, produced on a total budget of US$40 million, grossed $102.8 million worldwide. In addition to their box office grosses, the films were extremely successful on home video. The series has been released on both Blu-ray and DVD.

Films

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)

Harold Lee and Kumar Patel are two Asian-American (Korean and Indian) stoners who get the munchies and embark on a quest throughout New Jersey for White Castle burgers after seeing them advertised on TV. On their way they encounter many obstacles, including a gang of extreme sports punks, a raccoon with an attitude, a group of Asian nerds, a racist police department, a cheetah that has escaped from a zoo, and an out-of-control Neil Patrick Harris.

Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay

Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay is a 2008 American stoner comedy film, and the second installment of the Harold & Kumar series. The film was written and directed by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg.

The story continues where Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle leaves off, with Harold Lee (John Cho) and Kumar Patel (Kal Penn) flying to Amsterdam, but they are imprisoned after being mistaken for terrorists, and end up on a series of comical misadventures when they escape from Guantanamo Bay. The film also stars Paula Garcés,Neil Patrick Harris, Jon Reep, Rob Corddry, Ed Helms,David Krumholtz, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Jack Conley, Roger Bart, Danneel Harris, Eric Winter, Adam Herschman, and Richard Christy.

The film was released on April 25, 2008 by Warner Bros.; this film was the first New Line Cinema title to be distributed by Warner Bros. since New Line Cinema became a division of Warner Bros. It is also the first Harold & Kumar film made in association with Mandate Pictures. The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on July 29, 2008.

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas is a 2011 3D stoner comedy Christmas film directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson, written by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, and starring John Cho, Kal Penn, and Neil Patrick Harris. It is a sequel to the 2008 film Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay and the third installment of the Harold & Kumar series. The plot follows Harold (Cho) and Kumar (Penn), two estranged friends who embark on an adventure to find a new Christmas tree after Kumar destroys the original. The film was released on November 4, 2011, and is the first installment of the series to be shown in 3D.

Plot

Seven years after escaping Guantanamo Bay, best friends and roommates Harold Lee and Kumar Patel have gone their separate ways. Harold has given up smoking cannabis, become a successful business man on Wall Street and married his Latina girlfriend Maria. Kumar on the other hand is poor, and still lives in the messy apartment he once shared with Harold. Kumar has recently been dumped by his girlfriend Vanessa, who arrives at Kumar's apartment to inform him that she is pregnant with his child. Maria's father and Harold's father-in-law, Mr. Perez, decides to stay at Harold and Maria's house for the Christmas holiday. Mr. Perez, who doesn't like Harold, also brings over his prized Christmas tree that he has been growing for eight years, and gives Harold a short lecture about the tree's importance. Kumar receives a package with Harold's name on it at his apartment, and decides to deliver it to Harold. At Harold's house, they discover the item inside is a large marijuana joint.