#REVIEW: “WHY HIM?”

Review by Justin Waldman for Mr. Will Wong

‘Tis the season for that one completely absurd Movie that helps us get away the holiday madness and have a good laugh or two. Thankfully Director and Screenwriter John Hamburg along with Jonah Hill and Ian Helfer deliver a great deal of laughter in Why Him? The Movie may not be groundbreaking on any level, but it also doesn’t need to be and the audience gets exactly what they asked for.

The Movie starts off focusing on the relationship between Laird (James Franco) and his girlfriend Stephanie (Zoey Deutch) as her family comes to visit for the holidays. However this is problematic because not only are Stephanie’s parents, Ned (Bryan Cranston) and Barb (Megan Mullaly) unaware of their relationship, they’re now breaking Christmas tradition and heading down to L.A. to meet Laird. Upon arrival, they meet Laird’s bodyguard/assistant Gustav (Keegan-Michael Key) and then they meet Laird. The issue here is that Laird has no filter and that does not go over well with Stephanie’s parents, however her younger brother, Scotty (Griffin Gluck), doesn’t seemed bothered by it. With all the foul language and ridiculousness that ensues, Ned  completely is against Laird and when asking for his daughter’s hand in marriage, the answer is a clear “no”. The series of events leads Laird to get Ned‘s approval at any cost.

Why Him? is fueled single-handedly by the brilliant chemistry that the actors share with one other. James Franco goes all out and really manages to steal the show, while Cranston playing the over-protective father is simply perfection. However the real standout comedians in the Movie are Keegan-Michael Key and Griffin Gluck, both pleasant surprises.

Why Him? is the perfect holiday escape.

20th Century Fox Canada release WHY HIM? in theatres Friday, December 23, 2016.