Why Him? -2016
Director John Hamburg
Starring James Franco
Scott’s Review #704
Reviewed December 6, 2017
Grade: D
Why Him? (2016) is epic film drivel starring quite capable actors in a mish-mash of dull, predictable stories, obnoxious characters, and a need to attempt to go raunchier and raunchier for a cheap laugh.
Why there is a market for films like this is beyond me, as no thinking is required (maybe the film will please those fans!).
The film scores slightly higher than a solid “F” based solely on a few chuckles uttered thanks to the only dim bright spots in this mess, Bryan Cranston and Megan Mullally.
A story told dozens of times before in “slapstick comedy” fare, the premise is tired beyond belief.
A good girl meets a bad boy; they fall head over heels in love and must deal with the aftermath of her parents meeting and hating him.
The main gimmick is the rivalry between the boyfriend and girlfriend’s fathers, like an unfunny Meet the Parents (2000).
A silly, uninteresting plot point about each character’s business success, or lack thereof, is mixed in as if anyone cares.
As with all films of this ilk, the story is wrapped up in a neat, tidy little bow by the time the credits roll, and all characters live happily ever after in perfect harmony.
In one of his most disappointing roles, James Franco plays Laird Mayhew, the wealthy, eccentric, thirty-something CEO of an upstart video game company.
He is foul-mouthed and comically speaks his mind or absentmindedly shows his ass on a Skype chat with his girlfriend Stephanie (Zoey Deutch) while her parents are linked to the chat at a birthday party.
Stephanie, a college student and Laird’s girlfriend, invites her parents, Ned and Barb (Cranston and Mullally), along with their fifteen-year-old Scotty, for the Christmas holidays.
Predictably, Stephanie’s parents are appalled by Laird and want her to have nothing to do with him. When Stephanie arranges for Ned, Barb, and Scotty to stay at Laird’s spacious home, the antics take off as feuds and misunderstandings erupt.
The main problem with Why Him? is that director John Hamburg (famous for mainstream comedies such as Along Came Polly (2004) and I Love You, Man (2009) seems determined to push the raunchy comedy elements even further in this idiotic film.
He makes Laird as obnoxious and crass as possible, yet tries to make him more “likable” by giving him a clueless quality; therefore, he isn’t mean-spirited and should be beloved by the audience.
The character does not work. Franco has played terrific roles- specifically in 127 Hours (2010) and Howl (2010).
As a fan of the talented actor, I expected more from him, but alas, some performances are only as good as the written material.
If there is a bright spot worth mentioning, it’s the casting of Cranston and Mullally.
Two actors are undeniably good at physical comedy. They do as much as they can with poorly written, stock-type roles.
Cranston’s Ned, a middle-class small-business owner from Grand Rapids, Michigan, is both envious and resentful of Laird, perhaps admiring the young man’s business savvy while regretting not being as successful.
Barb is a one-note, ditzy yet lovable wife, a role Mullally’s goofy portrayal makes slightly better. In one of the best scenes, Barb smokes pot and becomes a mess in her bedroom.
The following day, Ned is trapped on the toilet and has an embarrassing experience with Laird’s best friend, Gustav. While these scenes are juvenile, the funny actors make them work.
Suffering from a tired, overused storyline and unlikable, dull characters, the film offers nothing of substance.
Why Him? (2016) is entirely plot-driven with no character development or well-written characters.
The film is a complete waste of time.
It results from a studio hoping to achieve box office success by churning out a poor comedy that wastes talent and will please only audiences not expecting much from their films.