After years of growing apart, Harold Lee and Kumar Patel have replaced each other with new friends and are preparing for their respective Yuletide celebrations. But when a mysterious package mistakenly arrives at Kumar's door on Christmas Eve, his attempt to redirect it to Harold's house ends with the "high grade" contents -- and Harold's father-in-law's prize Christmas tree -- going up in smoke. With his in-laws out of the house for the day, Harold decides to cover his tracks, rather than come clean. Reluctantly embarking on another ill-advised journey with Kumar through New York City, their search for the perfect replacement tree takes them through party heaven -- and almost blows Christmas Eve sky high. - skip ad - Genres: Comedy, Holiday and Sequel Running Time: 1 hr. 29 min. Release Date: November 4th, 2011 (wide) MPAA Rating: R for strong crude and sexual content, graphic nudity, pervasive language, drug use and some violence. Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures Cast And Credits Starring: John Cho, Kal Penn, Paula Garces, Eddie Kaye Thomas, David Krumholtz Directed by: Todd Strauss-Schulson Produced by: Greg Shapiro, Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg

Top athletes know it. Leading politicians know it. And with the opening of “A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas,” stoners will know it too: No matter how good you are at what you do, there’s always someone younger and hungrier coming up, threatening to take your crown.




Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) may be the kings of recreational drug use, but in this, their third feature film, they are upstaged by a baby. This kid, the child of Harold’s new best friend, is accidentally dragged along on a typically outrageous Harold and Kumar odyssey, and child-welfare laws are left hilariously in tatters. Though perhaps more hilarious to some folks than others. If the sight of a baby covered in powdered cocaine offends you, you are an idiot for having gone to a Harold and Kumar movie.

Anyway, as the film begins, Harold and Kumar are estranged, having each found new best friends. Harold is living a straight-laced married-guy life; Kumar is being Kumar. But a mysterious package brings them together again.

The plot, though it hardly matters, involves the search for a new Christmas tree. The film’s director, Todd Strauss-Schulson, takes aggressive advantage of the 3-D format, sending all sorts of things shooting out at the audience: syrup, snow, streamers, a hat and lots of wacky-weed smoke.

Those who left the previous film in the series, “Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay,” during the closing credits may think they won’t be seeing Neil Patrick Harris in this one, since he seemed to have been pretty thoroughly shot to death in “Guantanamo.” (A scene after the closing credits showed him shaking off the gunshot wounds.) “N.P.H,” as he’s often called in these films, does indeed return, singing and dancing. And talking dirty.

He, that stoned baby and a stunning riff on the tongue-stuck-to-a-pole scene in “A Christmas Story” will, for fans of this franchise, make this a blissful holiday season indeed.

“A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas” is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). It has â€" duh â€" drug use, not to mention violence and nudity.