Review: ‘A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas’ You’ll Hate Yourself for Laughing but You’ll Certainly Laugh

“A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas” is great if you are looking for an alternative to the standard holiday movies. The 2011 flick marks the third installment to the “Harold & Kumar” franchise. It’s an absurd thing with a ridiculous plot and stupid humor. It’s the type of movie you’ll hate yourself for laughing at. But rest assured, you will laugh.

John Cho and Kal Penn reprise their titular characters. Best friends and stoners who inadvertently end up on some whacky adventure. “Christmas” takes place two years after the pair have stopped speaking to each other. We get the backstory explaining the falling out of the friendship. Callbacks to the previous films are scattered throughout. None are spoilers, and none are needed to comprehend this story. It’s a bit heartfelt when the movie opens and we find that the pair are no longer bff’s.

“A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas” is a bit like “The Hangover” films. The humor comes on fast and never remains within the confines of logic. They poke fun of traditional Christmas movie tropes and they do it well. You’ll also get a deviant version of typical seasonal icons. Within the first thirty seconds, a department store Santa is dealing reefer from the trunk of his car. One scene depicts a bag of cocaine exploding whist Bing Crosby croons “White Christmas.” Yes, it’s that kind of movie.

The magic of Christmas Eve is present amidst the chaos. Harold and Kumar go on a one-night adventure to find the perfect tree. I love movies that occur in a single evening. Like “After Hours” or “Superbad” it’s a domino effect of nonsense that pits Harold and Kumar in some hysterical situations. From a party at the penthouse of a Russian mobster (Elias Koteas) to a Claymation sequence, nothing is off limits.

John Cho and Kal Penn are great with the characters. Cho’s Harold is more level-headed. Penn’s Kumar is the grown man who still behaves like a kid. The actors gel well with each other and are the backbone of the film series. The supporting cast is also excellent. Danny Trejo plays Harold’s highly intimidating father-in-law.

Comic actors Thomas Lennon, Patton Oswalt, Eddie Kaye Thomas, David Krumholtz, Amir Blumenfeld make appearances. Paula Garces and Daneel Harris reprise roles as the love interests of the main characters. And of course, Neil Patrick Harris returns.

“A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas” is a funny movie. At 89 minutes it won’t get too long. It’s ridiculous and that’s the point. We’ll cover the first two films in the series in 2022. This one is worth a watch this December.