Like some others, I agree that this film was not just funny, but displayed real wit. (I even loved the promos in which the actors are referred to as "the Indian guy from" movie X and "the Asian guy from" movie Y.) The leads are solid actors and they both have strong comedy skills. And yes, like some others, I've had the Ivy League experience and do know folks very like the ones portrayed.
But.... My friends and I have a saying about movies or books in which women are people, not eye candy or plot devices -- we call them "cool on chicks". H&KG2WC definitely ain't cool on chicks; they exist as -- well, as plot devices. I found it particularly disappointing because I thought the film handled the issues of ethnic stereotyping/immigrant acculturation/ethnic identity and all the rest quite well, with genuine wit and believable shading (for example, when Kumar acknowledges there are worse ethnic stereotypes than being assumed a medical prodigy). Then again, there are darn few films that are cool on chicks, and it's even harder where the female roles are all small, as they are in this film.
But if you can ignore this failing, or just don't care about it, I think you'll have an unreservedly good time watching this film.
But.... My friends and I have a saying about movies or books in which women are people, not eye candy or plot devices -- we call them "cool on chicks". H&KG2WC definitely ain't cool on chicks; they exist as -- well, as plot devices. I found it particularly disappointing because I thought the film handled the issues of ethnic stereotyping/immigrant acculturation/ethnic identity and all the rest quite well, with genuine wit and believable shading (for example, when Kumar acknowledges there are worse ethnic stereotypes than being assumed a medical prodigy). Then again, there are darn few films that are cool on chicks, and it's even harder where the female roles are all small, as they are in this film.
But if you can ignore this failing, or just don't care about it, I think you'll have an unreservedly good time watching this film.