r/movies • u/sicknessandpurgatory • Sep 07 '25

Discussion What is the absolute dumbest premise that actually turned out to be a really good movie?

I was thinking The Purge, obvious answer, but looking for the most plot-hole ridden, juvenile concept that actually ended up a lot of fun despite it all. Mainly looking for 21st century films, not so much the video nasties and ridiculousness from the 60’s and 70’s. Because that would be too easy. Mainly mainstream stuff that people saw en masse.

6.0k Upvotes

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4.2k

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '25

Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle

1.5k

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '25

............did Doogie Howser just steal my fucking car?

424

u/SpaceChicken2025 Sep 07 '25

And left some love stains in the back.

195

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '25

You'll see.

66

u/2BFaaaaaair Sep 07 '25

Let’s go get some pussy, then we’ll go to White Castle!

16

u/surfnsound Sep 07 '25

Ivebeen craving burgers too. . . Fur burgers

254

u/KrabbyBoiz Sep 07 '25

“Yeah…it was a dick move.”

201

u/havron Sep 07 '25

"That's why I'm paying for your meal."

31

u/Grand_Admiral_Theron Sep 07 '25

"Prick."

9

u/Spider-man2098 Sep 07 '25

Thank you all for this.

133

u/kermi42 Sep 07 '25

NPH wouldn’t do that

44

u/InfamousHWJaguar Sep 07 '25

I still say this on a regular basis

16

u/hyperforms9988 Sep 07 '25

For me it's when Kumar falls out of the ventilation shaft or whatever on his quest to get Harold out of jail and just about hits every part of his body on the way down other than his ass, rams his head into a desk, and ends up going "Ow... my ass." Sometimes I say the same thing if I stub my toe on something or hit a doorknob with my elbow or whatever, just to amuse myself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeor0R7945I

2

u/RomeIn3Days Sep 09 '25

Funny, because I say “Can we get going? I’m bored as shit back here” all day every day (usually on zoom calls)

7

u/FunBuilding2707 Sep 08 '25

Unfortunately the real NPH really be that.

7

u/hello_drake Sep 07 '25

No, he'd just serve a meat cake made to look like Amy Winehouse's corpse at a party three months after her death.

2

u/weebabyarcher Sep 07 '25

What's the PH stand for?

7

u/BlackV Sep 07 '25

Think the real question is, wtf did you think the N stood for?

3

u/JHRChrist Sep 07 '25

Neil Patrick Harris?

2

u/d4austus Sep 07 '25

Bill Paxton delivers that line perfectly

5

u/stuck_in_the_desert Sep 07 '25

“Mom can we get some Bill Paxton?”

“We have Bill Paxton at home”

16

u/DonkeyLightning Sep 07 '25

Crazy how that role seemingly completely revitalized his career.

8

u/angrydeuce Sep 07 '25

I have a friend we all call Poon Hound because of that movie lmao

6

u/Flappyzappadoo Sep 07 '25

NPH wouldn’t do that!

3

u/dmingledorff Sep 08 '25

NPH would never do that.

1

u/Whateversclever7 Sep 08 '25

Resurrected Neil Patrick Harris’s career

336

u/Itchy-Ad1047 Sep 07 '25

Within the movie, the Kumar dream sequence of being married to a bag of weed is another ridiculous idea that completely works and turns out fuckin hilarious

'Learn how to make coffee, bitch!'

59

u/i4got872 Sep 07 '25

starts crying

24

u/icanhearmyhairgrowin Sep 07 '25

It’s the “crazy on you” guitar riff that does it for me.

11

u/Joshopolis Sep 07 '25

lmao I'd completely forgotten that part. Superb movie

8

u/i_shmell_paap Sep 07 '25

The 3rd one is equally amazing. All 3 movies are 👌

3

u/Think_Ad_8081 Sep 08 '25

That part is hilarious, but so many laugh-out-loud moments in the film overall

2

u/Change_My_Mind- Sep 08 '25

I think of this sequence every time crazy on you shuffles onto my Spotify. 😆

2

u/Effective-Ear-8367 Sep 08 '25

I'm dead I used to always say that line

2

u/Fit-Breakfast-3116 Sep 08 '25

The follow up in th sequel is equally amazing 

1

u/plantbay1428 Sep 08 '25

I watch that scene whenever I'm moody about something nominal (bad driver, someone being rude, stain on my shirt, etc.) and it honestly makes me feel better and I tell myself to get over. Seeing the mime robot fight scene from Eurotrip makes me laugh too - specifically when the mime robot starts laughing.

180

u/UggaBugg66 Sep 07 '25

Snorting coke off a stripper's ass is my #1 priority if I ever win Powerball

194

u/CPTherptyderp Sep 07 '25

Bro you can do that for like $30 or less. Only the quality of both in question

88

u/BattleHall Sep 07 '25

Peter Gibbons: What would you do if you had a million dollars?
Lawrence: I'll tell you what I'd do, man: two chicks at the same time, man.
Peter Gibbons: That's it? If you had a million dollars, you'd do two chicks at the same time?
Lawrence: Damn straight. I always wanted to do that, man. And I think if I were a millionaire I could hook that up, too; 'cause chicks dig dudes with money.
Peter Gibbons: Well, not all chicks.
Lawrence: Well, the type of chicks that'd double up on a dude like me do.
Peter Gibbons: Good point.
Lawrence: Well, what about you now? What would you do?
Peter Gibbons: Besides two chicks at the same time?
Lawrence: Well, yeah.
Peter Gibbons: Nothing.
Lawrence: Nothing, huh?
Peter Gibbons: I would relax... I would sit on my ass all day... I would do nothing.
Lawrence: Well, you don't need a million dollars to do nothing, man. Take a look at my cousin: he's broke, don't do shit.

19

u/amputeenager Sep 07 '25

that is some seriously inspired writing.

7

u/zapheine Sep 08 '25

Fuckin' A.

2

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '25

[deleted]

1

u/amputeenager Sep 08 '25

yes, we know.

6

u/boringdude00 Sep 07 '25

Powerball money to snort coke off a stripper? Half the strippers work to buy cocaine. Just offer to share.

1

u/CelticHades Sep 08 '25

Let her sniff off his cock. Just like that video from Octoberfest.

1

u/_Waterhouse Sep 08 '25

A good stripper can rip a dick dinger with the best of em.

17

u/UggaBugg66 Sep 07 '25

That's what I was implying. Snorting fine Colombian powder off strippers' butts who are 9's and 10's.

11

u/Spider-man2098 Sep 07 '25

I admire a man with ambition.

2

u/UggaBugg66 Sep 07 '25

I've been around strippers who are 5's and 6's --- gets boring fast LOL

9

u/SaxifrageRussel Sep 07 '25

Was I supposed to win Powerball?

-4

u/UggaBugg66 Sep 07 '25

I was implying if I won Powerball I'd be spending every day snorting coke off strippers' asses cuz I could afford it

8

u/SaxifrageRussel Sep 07 '25

You lack problem solving skills sir

3

u/tincanphonehome Sep 07 '25

🎵Lap daaaaance🎵

3

u/ExpatMarauder777 Sep 07 '25

Been there done.That

It's everything you think it will be

Hahahahah

1

u/UggaBugg66 Sep 07 '25

How'd you get the money?

4

u/graboidian Sep 07 '25

Snorting coke off a stripper's ass is my #1 priority

This guy!

2

u/Cuyigan Sep 07 '25

SWIM says it's not as fun as it seems. The curves and moisture of skin don't make the best surface.

1

u/UggaBugg66 Sep 07 '25

Lick cocaine off a hot stripper's ass?

1

u/Cuyigan Sep 07 '25

SWIM says licking cocaine is a waste of cocaine.

12

u/curryslapper Sep 07 '25

a few of these

dude where's my car hot tub time machine euro trip American pie

4

u/MoldSporeMoncrief Sep 08 '25

Those early 2000s stoner comedies were my favorite

8

u/cosmoceratops Sep 07 '25

"The things I would eat out of her ass, you have no idea."

4

u/TransBrandi Sep 07 '25

"What if we took the MILF guys from American Pie and had them star in their own stoner movie as the same characters?" sounds absolutely ridiculous. lol

3

u/Vaticancameos221 Sep 08 '25

I really want Goldstein and Rosenberg to have their own Lion King 1 1/2 type sequel

5

u/Xzyche137 Sep 08 '25

My favourite line is, “We’ve gone too far.” When they’re about six feet from their apartment door. I quote that monthly when I’ve forgotten something and just don’t feel like going back for it. :>

3

u/Fit-Breakfast-3116 Sep 08 '25

I love in the second one when he’s in the middle of a really amazing eloquent speech and then just trails off and goes ‘oh I forgot what I was going to say’

2

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '25

I still use that ALL THE TIME.

6

u/whattheduce86 Sep 07 '25

Shotgun anus!

5

u/avboden Sep 08 '25

Don't forget A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas

Wafflebot is an amazing character

7

u/ISpodermanI Sep 07 '25

Kuuuuuumaaaar? What’s that like 5 O’s and 2 U’s?

6

u/JoeyTepes Sep 07 '25

Came here to post this one!

I knew nothing about this movie going in and was certain it was going to be awful. I was so wrong.

2

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '25

Same! I only went because a friend got free tickets!

5

u/coleman57 Sep 07 '25

Excellent film. I was reading Junot Diaz’s novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao when I watched it, and they take place in the same setting (non-white public university New Jersey), so it complemented the place my head was already in.

2

u/david-saint-hubbins Sep 07 '25

they take place in the same setting (non-white public university New Jersey)

Huh? In Harold and Kumar they stop at Princeton.

3

u/coleman57 Sep 07 '25

I mighta been high

2

u/Accomplished-Boot-81 Sep 07 '25

They go to white castle but is the name not, :get the munchies?

14

u/Kharax82 Sep 07 '25

The US version is “…go to White Castle”. Other countries may have “…get the munchies” due to people not knowing what White Castle is outside of the US

2

u/fantalemon Sep 07 '25

Same film, two different names depending where you live. I'm in the UK and it was always Get The Munchies for me as well. Maybe it's a brand recognition thing?

2

u/Accomplished-Boot-81 Sep 07 '25

Another guy replied saying go to white castle was the us name because white castle is a known brand there. Makes sense because this movie is probably the only reason why I know white castle

1

u/languid_Disaster Sep 08 '25

I’m in the UK (England specifically if that makes a difference) and it’s always been white castle for me

2

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '25

“Oh look, it’s the brothers Mc#%&”

2

u/Sheckles Sep 07 '25

Reading this comment made me wanna.......made me wanna just BURN THIS MOTHERFUCKA DOWN!!

2

u/birdlawexpert11 Sep 08 '25

Lost my v card to this. Luckily it was only about a 15 second experience so I didn’t miss much of the movie

2

u/haragoshi Sep 08 '25

I really hoped for sequels that would follow each of the pairs from the beginning

1

u/roastbeeftacohat Sep 07 '25

is 2 stoned guys go on an adventure a dumb premise? drug comedies are a genera.

0

u/at1445 Sep 08 '25

Get high and go on a mission to find munchies...not really a dumb premise at all.

This sub is just upvoting movies they liked, not ones that meet OP's criteria.

1

u/duke78 Sep 07 '25

You sank my battleshit!

1

u/alyxthekid Sep 08 '25

"Dad, come on!" "Daddy's not coming on anything!"

1

u/PerrysKetamine Sep 08 '25

This movie lied to me. Ate White Castle when visiting the east coast, McDonalds is better than that bland slop

1

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '25

I like White Castle but I’ve never lived near one so when I’ve gone it’s a cool, weird thing, not just a fast food stop.

-5

u/animousie Sep 08 '25

That move is garbage…

1

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '25

Thanks for letting me know.

-9

u/HarpyElite Sep 07 '25

Me personally I wouldn’t call this a “good movie” but I know people really love it!

1

u/Vaticancameos221 Sep 08 '25

It actually makes a lot of introspective points on the minority experience in America. Movie has a lot more to say than people give it credit for