Review of Why Him? (2016) by Thequietgamer — 28 Jul 2017

This is basically one of the writers of Meet the Parents (John Hamburg) revisiting that movie's premise, only this time with more raunchy and vulgar humor while also sitting in the director's seat. The result is a movie that feels like a rehash with lazier humor. Franco, Cranston, and Keegan Michael-Key are all talented people who give this their all. Unfortunately they just aren't given much to work with. Nobody else onscreen really has any presence.

Throughout it's overly long running time we are treated to a bunch of tired gags, constant profanity, crude sex jokes, and shock humor that all feels way too familiar. There are still some chuckle worthy lines here, but when the funniest scene in your movie involves Bryan Cranston sitting on a fancy toilet and not knowing how to work it, you may have a problem. Hamburg just seems to be trying too hard. With a group of people this talented and likable there was a good chance that some more restrained material would have gone a long way to actually delivering laughs. He certainly could have paid more attention to the actual story and relationships of the characters.

Why Him? is a generic, disposable, and mediocre Christmas comedy about meeting potential inlaws. One where talented people are brought down by lackluster writing. often goes too far into ridiculousness with it's humor and really pays no attention to the actual intricacies of forming a relationship with the family of one's significant other. A shame, because that is part of what made Meet the Parents enjoyable. Well, that and a much sharper sense of humor.

5.