An exponentially sillier watch comes in the 3-dimensional shape of 2011’s A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, the third in the ridiculous but really rather enjoyable (if you like that sort of thing) Harold and Kumar franchise. I have vague, fond memories of 2004’s stoned-dudes-on-a-munchie-mission Harold & Kumar Go to Whitecastle, but never got round to the follow-up Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, though that didn’t stop me looking forward to this superbly ludicrous film. This time around, reformed and happily married ‘Asian guy’ Harold (John Cho) is in trouble after he and ex-roommate slacker ‘Indian guy’ Kumar (Kal Penn) accidentally destroy the prize Christmas tree gifted to him by his fearsome father-in-law (Danny Trejo). The two estranged buddies, who haven’t talked in years, set out on an epic yuletide quest to find a replacement tree and maybe rekindle their friendship before it’s too late.
I find this an unexpectedly sweet tale, albeit one with oodles of rude jokes and gross-out humour. This franchise knows its audience by now but this entry deals with the prospect of maybe just maybe growing up a bit and the film perhaps hopes that the audience has matured a little along with the characters. These films have always been interesting as, though Harold and Kumar are unapologetic stoners, they’ve always been intelligent guys who just needed a little motivation. The script is really irreverent and inventive – even if I felt a little high just for having watched it.
Flung together by a very flimsy but festive set-up involving Santa and the delivery of a massive ‘magic’ joint (long story), the boys’ quest is pretty much just a string of ridiculous but very Christmassy skits cobbled together. These include an impressive animated ‘claymation’ sequence (drugs are, of course, involved) that’s of a very high calibre for what’s essentially a poop and boob-joke stoner comedy.
The film’s full of nice little surprises, like an extended Christmas song and dance segment featuring a sassy, on-form Neil Patrick Harris playing a heightened, creepy version of himself. The film was released not too long after ‘NPH’ came out as a gay man and here he’s only too happy to riff on that, explaining that he’s essentially faking his gayness “to get poontang”. It’s edgy and crude, but makes perfect sense in a film that features Santa being blasted from the sky by a shotgun, Elias Koteas as a furious Eastern European gangster and a whole segment involving a waffle-making robot.
A stand-out scene for me is the bit where our heroes run into their two old Jewish buddies, played by David Krumholtz and Eddie Kaye Thomas, with Krumholtz’s character revealing his joy at having recently converted to Christianity. He can’t hide his joy at getting to celebrate the Christian holiday and they have lots of fun subverting Jewish stereotypes. It’s gloriously silly but also smart that he can get away with lines like “I’ve made some terrible investments and it doesn’t bother me a bit…next week I have an appointment to get uncircumcised.”
Oh, and it’s all in fancy 3D, just for fun. The film makes sure to throw in lots of shots of stuff that gets in your face, like close-up action shots of flying eggs, mutant snowmen, giant spliffs and nuns’ boobies (another long story). There’s no need for any of it, but that’s the point of these films, I guess – they’re enjoyable, unchallenging and knowingly daft films that exist for silliness sake.
It's definitely not for everyone – various scenes featuring a toddler accidentally ingesting, then experiencing the effects of various drugs might be a bit much for some. Importantly, though, the kid does seem to enjoy herself and I do chortle when she gets the munchies and demands fast food. If that sounds funny to you, this film will be right up your street.
Importantly, it’s also a very Christmassy film, full of spectacular 3D snow, decorations, parties, eggnog (spiked, of course) and a big focus on the vitality of friendship and family. Jesus Christ himself even makes a guest appearance though he gets overshadowed by the awesomeness of NPH. It’s a rip-roaring, tongue-in-cheek, festive but decidedly adult mess, made for adults who really should know better.
It’s also a touching tale about jump-starting a stalling friendship and gets me thinking about how long it’s been since me and my buddies properly connected. I could just blame Covid, but I feel like with the responsibilities of being a husband and father, I’d started to drift away from the lads long before all this pandemic nonsense kicked off. Kumar and Harold’s rekindled bromance gives me renewed confidence that it might be awkward to see my mates again at first but, after some ice-breaking piss-take bants, I’m sure we’ll have just as much fun as always. With or without a waffle-making robot.
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