Why Him Review

James Franco has never been a stranger to comedy, having delivered some genius flicks in recent years, with the likes of Pineapple Express, the hugely-underappreciated This is the End (and if you’re a true Franco-fan, Pineapple Express 2), the insanely-controversial The Interview and 2015’s The Night Before and last year’s jaw-droppingly-unforgettable Sausage Party. And neither has Bryan Cranston, who might be more well-known as the formidable Heisenberg from AMC’s TV classic Breaking Bad, but had us all laughing our abs into shape in years prior during his days as the butt-of-all-pranks-dad in Fox’s Malcolm in the Middle. Now, Christmas comedy Why Him sees both megastars unite on-screen, though it’s not a particularly friendly affair. 

When loving and devoted father Ned Fleming (Cranston) learns that his daughter Stephanie is dating someone at college, he decides to visit her over the holidays with his wife Barb and his teenage son Scotty. But much to their surprise, Stephanie’s boyfriend, Laird Mayhew (Franco), is a billionaire, owing thanks to a popular game-app he invented. Laird invites the “new in-laws” to stay at his multi-million-dollar, state-of-the-art mansion, but it’s no mystery that he is every father’s worst nightmare: a cursing, explicit, blunt, half-naked, overly-familiar party dude, and who ends up prematurely asking for Ned’s blessing in marrying his daughter. Despite his extremities, Laird’s heart is in the right place, but, unlike his family, Ned struggles to overlook them and quickly schemes to dig up dirt on the billionaire and save his daughter, setting in motion some festive antics.

Both Franco and Cranston are on top-form here, prompting each other’s comic genius as they play the polar opposites. But while their duelling provides some much needed-laughter, for the most part, the show is stolen by Gustav (Keegan Michael-Key), Laird’s laugh-out-loud-hilarious, multi-purpose right-hand-man, who pops up every now and again to attack Laird as part of a self-defence regime, or to slap him across the face in an effort to keep him in-line with the Flemings. Big Bang Theory’s Kaley Cuoco is also (Omni)present in adorable voice-form as the mansion’s sharp and witty AI, Siri-like computer, adding to the film’s billionaire-inspired creativity (there’s an enviable hi-tech toilet, edible newspaper and a personalised bowling alley. Oh, and a dead moose suspended in its own pee...). 

Why Him will unlikely land a place among the Christmas comedy classics, but Cranston does remind us of his versatility (let’s not forget he’ll also be playing the disembodied wise-man, Zordon, in the upcoming Power Rangers reboot) while Franco delivers one of his most commanding comedy roles to date, and, as is usually the case with everything he does, it pays off. Why Him might be a Christmas comedy released a little too late over here in the UK, but it’ll certainly help with those January Blues.