Just another pothead comedy

"Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" follows a simple premise that is summed up in the film's title. Harold (John Cho) and his roommate/buddy Kumar (Kal Penn) get stoned in their apartment, watch television and eventually get the "munchies." After a White Castle hamburger commercial literally lifts them out of their seats in a trance-like manner, the two stoners head for the closest miniature hamburger eatery to satisfy their craving. \nSuch is the plot of the movie. Along the way to their destination the two friends manage to go on little adventures that include picking up a foul-mouthed and horny Neil Patrick Harris (playing himself), driving to Princeton University, getting arrested, hang-gliding and riding a stoned cheetah around New Jersey. Now while all these little adventures sound funny, they are actually rather dull (with the exception of Neil Patrick Harris' cameo and his thoughts about the "chicks" on his television show "Doogie Howser, M.D.").\nThe movie plays out as any stereotypical stoner film would but doesn't bring the laughs the same way classics such as "Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke" or "Half Baked" did. The situational comedy of the film is often too silly to find funny or faulted because of its predictability. However, with this said, there is one thing that does hold this movie together: the actors. \nWhen this film was out in the theaters its tagline boasted, "Starring the Asian guy from 'American Pie' and the Indian guy from 'Van Wilder.'" Both actors, though not worthy of a golden Oscar, play their roles very well. The two create characters that are different from what most people are used to in this genre. In the end, they actually come across as quite funny. \nThe film comes in two DVD formats one is plain, while the other totes the title of "Extreme Unrated." "Harold and Kumar" succeeds as an amusing film but doesn't quite leave you craving more.