OK, I had never intended to review a profane, offensive film such as “Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.” It is totally worthy of its R-rating: It has drug references (lots of them); the language is not just profane but crude and sleazy (lots of it); and it portrays a U.S. president in a way never (or at least almost never) before seen on the big screen. Whew! It’s a rough ride, but John Cho and Kal Penn have a winner here with edgy, topical comedy that packs a wallop. Once you get past them all too easily shocking or grossing you out, then you’ll find wit, intelligence and solid, tight writing. Plus, the actor playing a regimented, racist, narrow-minded Homeland Security official gives the performance to remember. Don’t watch “Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay” if you are a Republican or are simply easily offended. If you’re not, or you’re a Republican with a sense of humor, then check it out immediately.
‘Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay’
(2008; 104 minutes; rated R; directed by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg and starring John Cho, Kal Penn and Neil Patrick Harris)
THESE GUYS ARE FRIENDS OF THE PRESIDENT!
(NOTE: I expanded and reorganized this review with additional opinion and trivia and the updating of links on Feb. 28, 2019. I expanded this review again on April 4, 2022.)
It took real courage to make a film such as “Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.” It took even more to release it. The film has everything that someone complains about on a daily basis in our country: Slacker young men; drugs; sex; nudity; and young peoples’ general disapproval of modern society society and their need to rebel against any authority … and let’s not leave out that the president of the United States smokes weed with title characters.
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However, get over whatever might make you hate it. “Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay” is funny, intelligent and manages to drive home a point about a variety of liberal topics like a sledge hammer on a ten-penny nail. It’s simple: John Cho and Kal Penn as the iconic “Harold Lee” and “Kumar Patel” are just pitch-perfect and totally worthy of you watching them in this movie.
There’s simply no way to sugar-coat it: The humor in “Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay” is crude, rude and downright disgusting at times (yes, I am old enough that most consider I should not be amused … but these guys are fall-down funny). The filmmakers and the stars are looking for a soft spot in your general defense against being repulsed (and in a way different from the excessive violence of, say, “The Departed” – click here for my review). They know where you’re most susceptible to be being offended and they pummel away just like a boxer with an opponent pinned in a corner.
“Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay” is the sequel to the duo’s “Harold & Kumar Go to the White Castle” and you’ll easily note that brevity isn’t a hallmark of the duo’s film titles.
In “Escape,” it’s the morning after the original and they set out for Amsterdam to chase a girl to whom Cho is attracted … and for its liberal marijuana laws – almost as lenient as many U.S. states offer today. Of course, they get caught on the flight with Penn’s bong, but when he says the word “bong,” everyone believe he says “bomb.”
Uh, oh!
The next thing you know is that they’re in custody as Third World terrorists – and being sent to jail at the U.S. base in Cuba at Guantanamo Bay.
Along the way they meet their nemesis: Rob Corddry as Homeland Security official “Rob Fox.” Corddry does such a good job that he should get a government job today and was treated shabbily in the next awards season since he wasn’t nominated for his work in “Escape.”
Well and of course, the guys escape Guantanamo Bay and make their way to Miami with Cubans escaping the Castro regime via a boat. From there, beginning with an absolutely uniquely themed party for its dress code, it’s off to Texas with a stop in the south and a Ku Klux Klan rally along the way – as well as meeting up Neil Patrick Harris (who plays himself in a reprise of his over-sexed role in the original), who’s looking for love in a bordello.
Finally, they’re caught again and manage to escape again – but this time they manage to parachute into President George W. Bush’s living room and wind up smoking some of the “president’s” weed, which “W” has laced with “some blow.” Actually, the actor does a great job of imitation of the former president (he had a frequent spot on “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno as “W”). Oh, and in the climactic moment of the film, they manage to break up the wedding of Penn’s former girlfriend, who was supposed to marry an uptight, backstabbing conservative with the president in attendance.
Finally, they make it to Amsterdam; they find Cho’s lost love; and enjoy themselves in the best way they know how – and in a way that won’t come as a any surprise to anyone.
Ah! It’s all a mouthful. Here’s a rundown of your headliners:
- Cho as “Harold Lee” is good at playing the straight man to Penn’s comedian who gets them into trouble at every turn. He’s easy-going and affable and really doesn’t want any trouble. Cho spins this one out effortlessly and has also been “Sulu” in the “Star Trek” and “Star Trek Into Darkness,” “American Beauty” and was in the “American Pie” franchise (click here for my look at franchises). I liked him in a bit part as a director in the kids flick “Big Fat Liar” (click here for my review).
- Penn as “Kumar Patel” is the brash, manic and combustible portion of the duo. He’s ready to argue with just about anyone and will do just about anything not to go to medical school (mainly because his father is demanding he does). Penn, like Cho, conveys his character perfectly and I couldn’t see another actor in his place. After his “Harold & Kumar” efforts, I like Penn best for his work on TV’s “House M.D.” and he was also in “Superman Returns.”
Now, let’s look at some of the rest of the cast and the single best performance of the film …
- A four-time Golden Globe nominee (not for this one), Corddry offers the most outrageous and outstanding performance of the film … and that’s saying something with this cast of characters. He’s Homeland Security’s “Rob Fox” and he’s in charge while the director is off ice fishing. Corddry explodes from one scene to the next and his racist actions encompass black people, Asians and a couple of Jewish guys he taunts with pennies. I’m not sure where Corddry got his energy, but this is a tremendous effort and would have earned him some nominations if it hadn’t been in a such a stoner and offensive film. He has also been in “Childrens Hospital,” with which he earned his nominations, as well as “The Hot Tub Time Machine.” Regretfully, Corddry has a doomed character here, but, hey, who knows?
- The second best (and almost equal) supporting role is played by James Adomian, who transforms himself into “President George W. Bush.” The scene at his house is spectacularly funny – the president smoking marijuana with “Harold & Kumar!” He’s got great philosophy and the two guys come to like him – especially when he pardons them and then loans Secret Service agents to protect the guys as they bust up the wedding. Adomiam has also been on TV’s “Comedy Bang! Bang!”
- The balance to Corddry’s lack of intelligence is Roger Bart as “Dr. John Beecher,” who is an NSA official assigned as liaison to Homeland Security. Bart offers calm, rational logic to each time Corddry blusters about and manages to screw up. His disgust is wonderfully low-key throughout. Bart has also been in “Last Vegas” and voiced in “Hercules.”
- A four-time Golden Globe nominee (not for this one), Harris is just as profane but far more sexually twisted than most people in this movie. He winds up being shot (you believe dead), but a short clip at the end of the credits show that he lives. I’m not a big Harris fan, but he’s very, very funny here and communicates his character well (forgive me, Screen Actors Guild). Harris is best known for two TV shows: he was the title character in “Doogie Howser, M.D.” and was on “How I Met Your Mother” as well as films such as “Starship Troopers.” He earned one nomination for “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” two for “How I Met Your Mother” and the last for the piece of crap called “Clara’s Heart.”
- Ed Helms, who was so terrific in “The Hangover” franchise (click here for my look at it), is another supporting actor worth his weight in gold. He’s the formally title “Interpreter” (none is really needed) for Cho’s parents, who Corddry believes are North Korean. Helms is even more dense than Corddry – if you can even imagine that possible. Helms was also on TV’s “The Office” and had a small part in another sensational drug-based comedy called “We’re the Millers” and was in the ”Vacation” reboot.
The rest of the primary cast from Penn’s former love to her fiancée to Cho’s and Penn’s friends are solid and worth mentioning, but I just don’t want to take the time at this point.
However, let me take a second for the especially strange David Krumholtz and Eddie Kay Thomas as “Goldstein” and “Rosenberg.” You’ll remember Thomas best as “Paul Finch” in the “American Pie” franchise. Both reprise their characters from the original “Harold & Kumar” effort.
Along with the good, you must almost always have the bad … and “Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay” is no exception.
In what should have been a nomination for “Most Embarrassing Performance in Film” for 2008, Beverly D’Angelo plays “Sally,” who is the madam at a brothel where Harris brings the guys. She is one supporting actor who apparently is just cashing a check here. Beverly’s effort is unremarkable at best and borders on execrable at worst. D’Angelo is most recognized as Chevy Chase’s wife in the “Vacation” franchise. One of her better and under-appreciated efforts is in the long-forgotten “Maid to Order,” where she’s opposite former Brat Packer Ally Sheedy (click here for my review).
“Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay” wasn’t much of a hit as it was the 75th ranked film at the U.S. box office in 2008 with $38.1 million in ticket sales, according to Box Office Mojo. It couldn’t even beat out a horrible film with an even longer name (“Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both World Concert Tour” at 48th with $65.2 million). The No. 1 film was “The Dark Knight” with $533.3 million. Here are the films from 2008 that I’ve reviewed:
- “Recount” (outstanding political flick) – click here for my review
- “Role Models” (neat raunchy comedy) – click here for my review
- “21” (better than average drama) – click here for my review
Assorted cast and film notes (via IMDb.com):
- Although the location is in the title of the film, the boys only spend just more five minutes on-screen time at Guantanamo Bay.
- Directly from IMDb.com: “According to Hollywood Reporter (27 April 2008 issue), Warner Bros’ distribution president Dan Fellman said this movie was originally produced as a straight-to-video movie until a decision was made to release it theatrically.”
- Harris spent only four days on the set to complete his work.
- The most uniquely named actor here is Echo Valley who plays “Tits Hemingway.” Yes, both names are accurate. Don’t ask any more; just look for her in the film.
- Finally and directly from IMDb.com: “Amnesty International USA was highly critical of the film’s satirical depiction of the Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp, commenting on their website that ‘Guantanamo is no joke.’ The organization’s membership was encouraged to hand out fliers and fact sheets at theatrical screenings to bring attention to the alleged human rights abuses that have occurred at the camp.”
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