Parents' Guide to

Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay

By James Rocchi, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Stoner social satire is rude, crude, and funny.

Movie R 2008 102 minutes
Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 16+

Based on 11 parent reviews

age 10+

age 13+

Wasn't Crunk Enough the First Time

Although Harold and Kumar does provide a good sense of family fun, it does lack the comradery of the homebound classic American Pie. I would personally suggest the latter if you have the option, but Harold and Kumar will suffice for family game night if one has already tapped from the bottle

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (11 ):
Kids say (18 ):

HAROLD AND KUMAR ESCAPE FROM GUANTANAMO BAY is an acceptable follow-up to the first film. The jokes aren't quite as consistent as in the original, but Penn and Cho still make for a charming, easy-to-watch odd couple with great timing and real warmth between them. They even wind up making a side trip to Crawford, Tex., where they meet President Bush (played by professional Bush imitator James Adomian), who's depicted as a good guy who likes to unwind with a little weed; when Kumar notes that he doesn't quite trust the government after all he's been through, the president offers: "You don't have to believe in your government to be a good citizen; you just have to believe in your country."

Of course, this pearl of wisdom is spoken through a cloud of exhaled marijuana smoke, but still. And while Harold and Kumar take many side trips in their journey back to safety -- dodging blind justice as personified by Rob Corddry's idiotic special agent as they go -- they're motivated by more than just their affection for weed and the hunt for a good time; they truly care about each other, and they believe in real love. Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay doesn't have the divinely inspired vulgarity of, say, Blazing Saddles, but it throws out so many jokes so fast, with such gleeful dimwit glee, that it's hard to not find something amusing in it.

Movie Details

  • In theaters: April 24, 2008
  • On DVD or streaming: July 28, 2008
  • Cast: John Cho , Kal Penn , Rob Corddry
  • Directors: Hayden Schlossberg , Jon Hurwitz
  • Inclusion Information: Asian actors, Gay actors, Indian/South Asian actors
  • Studio: Screen Gems
  • Genre: Comedy
  • Run time: 102 minutes
  • MPAA rating: R
  • MPAA explanation: strong crude and sexual content, graphic nudity, pervasive language and drug use.
  • Last updated: January 27, 2024

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