It’s hard to believe, but Dude, Where’s My Car?—20th Century Fox’s stoner comedy fever dream starring Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott—turns 25 this year. Yes, twenty-five. Cue the existential panic (and maybe a nostalgic rewatch).
Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox / Dude, Where’s My Car? (2000)
Released in 2000, the film follows Jesse (Kutcher) and Chester (Scott), two blissfully clueless besties who wake up after a wild night only to realize… they’ve misplaced their car. Sounds simple, right? Not quite. What starts as a hungover scavenger hunt quickly spirals into a galaxy-level conspiracy involving UFOs, cults, gender-bending aliens, and of course, the iconic “And then?!” drive-thru scene. It’s dumb, it’s chaotic, and somehow, it’s also kind of endearing.
But let’s talk about that kiss. You know the one.
In one of the film’s most absurdly brilliant moments, Jesse and Chester find themselves in a “male bonding competition” to impress Fabio and his girlfriend. And what better way to prove your alpha-bro closeness than… smooching your best friend? Yep—Ashton and Seann lock lips in what might be the most hilariously random make-out scene in early 2000s cinema.
And here’s the kicker: it was kinda sweet. In the middle of all the movie’s stoner humor and alien absurdity, this kiss didn’t feel mean-spirited or cheap. It was played for laughs, sure, but it wasn’t a punchline about masculinity or queerness—it was just two dudes doing whatever it takes to win a competition, totally unfazed by the act itself. Respect.
Twenty years ago, #DudeWheresMyCar hit theaters! Back in 2000, Ashton Kutcher (@aplusk) and Sean William Scott told us why you must see the movie at least 10 times, and what the real meaning of “shibby” is 😂 pic.twitter.com/utbwlE5YAq
— MTV NEWS (@MTVNEWS) December 15, 2020
Back in 2015, HuffPost took a moment to reflect on this scene during the film’s 15-year anniversary, noting how refreshingly chill the moment felt—especially for a film targeted at straight, teenage boys in an era not exactly known for open-mindedness. The kiss was treated with surprising nonchalance, and that’s what made it memorable. It didn’t try to make a statement—but in its own chaotic, “Zoltan!”-chanting way, it kind of did.
So while Dude, Where’s My Car? may not be cinema’s finest hour, it is a reminder that even the dumbest comedies can carry a flicker of progressiveness. And let’s be honest—it was weird, it was wild, and yeah… it was totally fun to watch.
The scene isn’t a male bonding competition to impress two girls. That is the ultimate goal, but the scene is to show the model Fabio and his woman that they are just as cool.