Synopsis

After the death of their friend Ivory, chemistry-minded Silas and his buddy Jamal discover that marijuana grown with Ivory's ashes gives them supernatural academic insight. The unlikely pair use their newfound knowledge to pass their college entrance exams and enter Harvard. Once the magic supply disappears, they must rely on their own wits while challenging the school's rigid social order.

Factoids & Trivia

• The Harvard scenes were filmed at UCLA, whose campus stood in for the Ivy League setting.

• The film was released by Universal Pictures on December 21, 2001, and earned more than $31 million worldwide against an estimated budget reported between $12 million and $20 million.

• The title refers to "How High," a track associated with Method Man and Redman that appeared on the soundtrack to the 1995 hip-hop documentary The Show.

• No live pigeons were harmed during the explosive office prank. The production used fake birds, taxidermy birds, and separately filmed live pigeons for the non-dangerous portions of the sequence.

• The donkey seen at the dorm party was handled by trainers. It was guided through the crowd, did not actually drink from the punch bowl, and was allowed to stand and stretch between takes.

• Although critics responded negatively when it opened, the film later developed a cult following among stoner-comedy fans.

• How High won the Stony Award for Best Stoner Movie in 2002. A television sequel, How High 2, followed in 2019.