By Yayoi Lena Winfrey
©2004 Northwest Asian Weekly
July 31, 2004

In a perfect world, everyone would be treated equally without regard to race, gender or sexual orientation. But in Hollywood (an institution not exactly known for its unbiased portrayals), accusations of fostering racist stereotypes and perpetuating false images of people of color have been alleged for ages. That a major studio would cast two Asian American men as co-stars in “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle” — a somewhat updated version of the old Cheech and Chong classics — is just short of miraculous.

Yet kudos come with some criticism as this movie conveys incongruous messages that glorify gratuitous sex and illegal drugs alongside important lessons of racial tolerance.

Like Tommy Chong and Cheech Marin, the protagonists of “White Castle” love to smoke a certain illicit and mind-altering weed. And, just like their joint-puffing predecessors, this film’s central characters are charmingly captivating despite their juvenile antics.

Both Harold and Kumar are of Asian descent, but they’re like night and day. Harold Lee (John Cho) is an angst-ridden Korean American investment banker who often finds himself the brunt of jokes made by his Caucasian co-workers. They have no qualms about overworking the much put upon financier, either.

“These Asian guys love crunching numbers,” cracks one colleague after dumping a load of weekend work on the hapless Harold.

Silently nursing a mad crush on a pretty neighbor named Maria (Paula Garces), Harold freezes in trepidation whenever he finds himself alone in the apartment building’s elevator with her. Disgusted with his roommate Kumar’s slovenliness, Harold is prudish and uptight, except when it comes to getting high.

As for Kumar Patel (Kal Penn), his East Indian father hopes he will follow in his footsteps and become a doctor. But Kumar is a slacker who uses his energy to stay out of medical school by intentionally botching admissions interviews. Whenever he’s not exploiting his father to support his recreational habits, Kumar is on the prowl for a party or a pusher — or both.

During a night of heavy-duty substance abuse, Harold and Kumar become consumed with hunger after watching a TV commercial for White Castle hamburgers. Obsessed with the idea of eating one, they take off in pursuit of a burger fix. Alas, their goal of satiating the munchies proves to be uneasily attainable as they encounter obstacle after obstacle. The obstructions, of course, are hilarious and present the opportunity for incessant laughter as the 20-something pals make their way across the New Jersey landscape.

Along their drug-induced search, Harold and Kumar come into contact with various racists, making this buddy film an original as it explores heavy social-justice issues in a comical way. Detoured by dorm parties, an Asian students meeting, a hideous hillbilly with a horny wife, wild animals (including a vicious raccoon and a runaway cheetah), several cameos, and Harold’s imprisonment and inevitable escape, the boys spend a weary night chasing the elusive hamburger.

Full of hilarious scenes, the funniest features Kumar being mistaken for a surgeon and, while stoned out of his mind, competently performing an operation on a gunshot victim.

Both Cho and Penn are beguilingly fluent in their roles.

Unfortunately, like a lot of testosterone-driven flicks, “White Castle” teems with pissing and puking scenes, while women are portrayed as either promiscuous bimbos or clueless virgins. Further, the excessive gay-bashing jibes are just plain passé.

While it’s commendable that Hollywood has finally permitted portrayals of ethnically Asian men being as American as apple pie, it’s disconcerting, nonetheless, that the offensive depiction of women is allowed in the same film.

Directed by Danny Leiner (“Dude, Where’s My Car?”), “White Castle” is, in spite of its shortcomings, mostly entertaining. Writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schossberg modeled the two main characters after guys they grew up with because, according to them, they got tired of seeing stereotypes of Asians on screens who “were nerdy ... with thick accents.”

Now, if they would just work on their perceptions of women and homosexuals, they’d create that perfect world.

'Harold & Kumar' Crave to Go to Amsterdam

Fueled by White Castle burgers, Harold and Kumar are ready for their next adventure.

Actors John Cho and Kal Penn confirm that they've signed on for two sequels to 2004's comedy "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" in which they play the titular stoner buddies on a mission to soothe their pot-induced cravings with the fast food chain's signature sliders.

"'Harold and Kumar Go to Amsterdam' is being written as we speak," Penn, 27, tells Zap2it.com, referring to the ending of "White Castle," in which the uptight Harold discovers his crush is traveling to the land of legalized marijuana.

"Whether or not it's going to be made depends on the financial receipts from DVD sales and rentals," he adds. "There will be a very direct correlation -- so please don't download our film off the Internet. If you liked the movie, please rent or buy it -- it'll assure that we'll bring you another one next year."

Cho, 32, is also jonesing for another go at the buddy comedy. "I would love an opportunity to do it: I like the character of Harold, I like the guys involved in making the movie, and although I haven't been, I am very confident that I would like Amsterdam."

The "Extreme Unrated" DVD of the film goes on sale on Tuesday, Jan. 4. Penn's film credits include "Van Wilder," "Malibu's Most Wanted" and "Love Don't Cost a Thing." He will also appear in the upcoming "Son of the Mask," the Ben Affleck comedy "Man About Town" and Mira Nair's adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri's novel "The Namesake."