Trailers are supposed to be enticing, a glimpse into cinematic gold that leaves you eagerly anticipating a movie’s release. However, sometimes, a trailer can backfire spectacularly, turning potential viewers away in droves. “Why Him?” unfortunately falls into this category, boasting a trailer so off-putting it’s almost legendary for its awfulness. Many who endured the relentless barrage of commercials for this movie might have developed an active aversion to it, possibly stemming from that cringe-inducing rock-throwing scene that felt like a reject from a “Meet The Parents” cutting room floor. But beyond the disastrous marketing, is “Why Him?” actually as bad as its trailer suggests, and more importantly, where can you watch Why Him if you’re curious?
While “Why Him?” is far from a comedic masterpiece, it’s also not the cinematic train wreck its trailer promised. In fact, the trailer’s biggest sin might be its complete misrepresentation of what the movie is actually trying to be, though it’s debatable if the film itself ever truly figures that out either.
The premise of “Why Him?” is fairly straightforward and even promising. We’re introduced to a young college student who falls head over heels for an eccentric tech billionaire. The narrative unfolds as this billionaire, over the course of a holiday weekend, makes a series of increasingly questionable decisions while trying to impress her family. The trailer, heavily implying a fierce rivalry and comedic battle of wills between James Franco’s outlandish character and Bryan Cranston’s disapproving father, sets up an expectation of a grand competition. However, the movie quickly attempts to dismantle this notion, suggesting something more nuanced is at play.
As the movie progresses, though, it becomes harder to ignore certain elements that feel awkwardly shoehorned in. The Christmas setting, for instance, feels like a studio-mandated last-minute addition, designed to capitalize on the holiday moviegoing crowd. Equally jarring is the film’s excessive reliance on crude language. This over-the-top deployment of profanity is a tiresome trend in contemporary comedy. The constant barrage of swear words, and especially the trope of children cursing for cheap laughs, simply doesn’t equate to genuine humor.
A significant flaw plaguing “Why Him?” is its identity crisis. Around the movie’s midpoint, a concerning pattern emerges: almost every character reveals themselves to be self-absorbed or, in some cases, downright unlikeable. This character development, or lack thereof, leads to a narrative dead end. None of the predictable resolutions feel satisfying or like a positive outcome for these characters. Consequently, the film’s ending descends into a muddled mess, failing to deliver any emotionally resonant or gratifying moments.
Beyond the central duo, the supporting characters are woefully underdeveloped. They drift in and out of the narrative, often vanishing for extended periods, only to reappear briefly to facilitate a weak gag before fading back into the background, leaving the spotlight firmly fixed on the two leads. James Franco, despite the film’s shortcomings, delivers a commendable performance, doing as much as possible with the material he’s given. He manages to make his character both gratingly unlikeable and surprisingly endearing, sometimes within the same scene. It’s a role that aligns closely with Franco’s recent comedic repertoire, and if it works, why deviate?
Bryan Cranston, an undeniably talented comedic actor known for his subtle comedic timing in “Seinfeld” and his iconic role as the father in “Malcolm in the Middle,” is unfortunately miscast and underutilized. “Why Him?” fails to tap into Cranston’s genuine comedic talents, instead confining him to the role of the perpetually exasperated straight man, burdened with a bizarre “crotch chop” bowling move as his comedic signature.
Ultimately, “Why Him?” is not as excruciatingly awful as its marketing campaign suggested. While this isn’t exactly a glowing endorsement, it’s a fair assessment: it’s watchable. However, recommending it wholeheartedly is difficult. There’s a kernel of a decent comedic premise buried within “Why Him?”, but somewhere along the production process, something went awry. The film reeks of studio interference and hasty edits. Furthermore, at an unnecessarily long runtime of one hour and 51 minutes, viewers might be better off preemptively turning it off 20 minutes early and inventing their own generic ending – it would likely be more satisfying than the one provided.
So, where can you watch Why Him? If, after reading this, you’re still intrigued, “Why Him?” is available for streaming on various platforms such as [Insert Streaming Platforms Here – Research current availability]. You can also rent or purchase it digitally through services like [Insert Digital Rental/Purchase Platforms Here – Research current availability].
Whether “Why Him?” is worth your time is debatable. If you’re looking for a light, somewhat mindless comedy and have access to it through your existing streaming subscriptions, it might provide some fleeting entertainment. However, don’t expect a comedic revelation. Lower your expectations, and you might find “Why Him?” surprisingly… tolerable.
